Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry
by ShadoeFox
Summary: The Tokyo Police have decided that the Sailor Senshi aren't enough to protect Tokyo...little do they know the Man they put incharge of the new office Knows them so well! Now finished! Well, this book is anyhow!
1. Fateful Beginings

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sailor Moon, or any other Anime that may appear in this story. Don't bother suing anyway, since I don't have much cash.

Authors Notes: Did you know, I never gave Sgt. Hibuki a first name? Well, now I am...cause he needs one!

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Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry 

Prologue

"Sarge! Why the hell are we always the ones called to the weird crap?"

Sgt. Ichiro Hibuki took a second to glance at his young partner. He, like Hibuki himself, was fighting with a short, purple creature with small vestigial wings and clawed hands. "Just lucky I guess Rio!" 

Dodging another claw swipe the police Sergeant swung his baton into the little monsters head, growling in frustration when it proved to be just as rock hard as the rest of the creature, bouncing off it's skull and knocking a cup of soda off a picnic table where panicked park goers had abandoned their lunch. The soda exploded from its paper cup all over Hibuki and his weird opponent, causing a horrible scream to pour from the lizard like creature's mouth. 

Hibuki took a shocked step back and watched a wingtip melt like a sugar cube in water. That, and the lake behind the monster, gave him an idea. Yelling "It better not have been the caffeine!" He plowed into the purple thing chest, carrying it for a short sprint before half pushing, half throwing the thing into the water with a loud splash. The boiling hiss and screeches of pain reassured the old street cop.

"WATCH OUT!"

Hibuki swung around just in time for the dead monster buddy to slam into HIS chest, knocking him to the dirt. Stunned he fought to move his arms to block the claw coming for his face.

It never arrived as a booted foot swung into view, delivering a roundhouse kick to the thing spine, propelling it into the lake where it died like its partner. "Man Hibuki, you're lucky I was out for a walk!" A familiar voice said with a chuckle.

Looking up, the cop found the smiling face of Artemis "Moon" holding out a hand to help him up.

"Yeah, no kidding. What a day to forget my watch, eh?"

___________________________________________________________________________________

Two hours later, the end of his shift finally arriving after all the paperwork monster attacks seemed to generate, Ichiro Hibuki was at his locker, and slipped around his wrist the watch he foolishly left behind. 

The watch, with a silver and black moon motif on its face was a gift from some younger friends, the young, brave girls known as the Sailor Senshi so he could contact them if the police needed help with "Something strange." He'd had more then one opportunity to use it, since he had become the officer of choice for the stranger crimes and events in the Tokyo Police department. 

Shutting the locker he turned, and waved at a few of the other uniforms moving around the cramped locker room. For fifteen years he'd worked the streets as a beat cop, never trying for more then his Sergeants stripes loving the beat of the streets, and privately the thrills of being a beat cop. A few of his superiors had offered, or even threatened him, with higher rank but he'd avoided it not wanting to get tied to a desk. He considered himself very lucky.

"Hibuki, I know you're on your way out, but can I have a few minutes of your time?" The voice belonged to Captain Sariko Makata, the captain of his division and one of the highest-ranking female cops in Tokyo. She was tough, fair, and knew the business and all of her officers respected her deeply.

"Sure Captain. What can I do for you?"

"Walk with me." Was her only reply, as she walked out the front doors.

"I hear you and Rio Masaki had an exciting time today." She said, looking to him as they walked side by side down the precinct steps.

"You could say that. Those buggers weren't so tough though. The Senshi didn't even have the time to put in an appearance."

"Yes, I noticed that. You're a good man, Hibuki. Smart, tough, and a straight arrow cop. I like that."

Hibuki shrugged. He was too experienced to let the praise go to his head. "I try Captain." He said modestly, following her across the street.

"You do more then try Hibuki. You succeed." She pulled a ring of keys out of her purse, which she had been carrying on her shoulder, and unlocked the door of a building just a bit down the block and across the busy streets from the station house. The door was stuck and Hibuki had to give her a hand pulling it open. 

"What are we coming here for, Captain?" He asked, looking around as they stepped into the dusty lobby. It was the 'Old station', the oldest police station in Tokyo and hadn't been used since just after World War Two." 

"Oh, well Ichiro, we... The brass... have been considering this upswing of monster attacks and strange happenings like the Sailor Scouts and the Neko-jin and have come to the conclusion a special division needs to be built to deal with it." 

She flipped a switch set into the wall. "We need to hire experts, and get them to train cops to deal with things like your purple playmates today so this division needs it's own work areas and offices. We're giving them this old building instead of trying to fit a new one into our busy Downtown area."

"Probably a good idea, Captain."

"I'm glad you think so. We got stuck one one point however." She said, leaning on an old desk, watching as the Sergeant looked around the lovely, if dusty, lobby of the old building. "We needed someone to run it, and experienced people to help round it out."

"Ah.." He saw where this was going. Well, whoever the chief of the new unit was, He was damn sure he was getting Sgt. Hibuki's best. "I understand."

"Good!" She smiled. "Then you accept?"

"Sure! I mean, I'm the Weirdness Magnet so it makes sense."

'It really isn't fair.' She thought to herself, smirking. 'He doesn't realize he just walked into the trap.' "That's great. Now you realize a new unit like this doesn't warrant a Captain leading it, only a Lieutenant. But it's going to get one heck of a budget for equipment and civilian personnel, so you understand it had to be someone the brass knew was a righteous cop, and a well seasoned veteran."

"Don't have to tell me that twice, captain."

"Of course, this new task force is under my direct command."

"No better boss. So who's running this pony show."

She smiled and pointed to the one clean office window, which he hadn't noticed yet. "It's on the door."

Shrugging at her flair for the dramatic, he walked over and read the name...then froze like a deer caught in the headlights. 

"Your new Dress uniform is inside, Lt. Hibuki...but you are expected to be plain clothes now. Welcome to the Central Administrative Police Preternatural Agency. I know you'll run it well."

AN: Yes, NO more SGT Hibiki...now he's a Lieutenant! And what was that about civilian advisors? Oh, loyal readers, things have gotten interesting haven't they?


	2. Recruitment

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any other published works of any import (Though if someone wants to give me a contract I'll happily accept!)

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Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry

Chapter One:

"Good afternoon, Captain Makata. How are you this day?"

"Commissioner Tokai, I'm doing just fine. Have you looked over the files I sent to you the other day?" 

The gray haired older gentleman nodded, his hand gesturing at the collection of file folders sitting on his desk's blotter. "Of course. I have to admit, most of the active officers he selected made perfect sense, but I was wondering if you could explain a few of his choices?"

"Of course, sir. I have been assisting Lt. Hibuki with the planning these past few weeks, and after hearing his reasoning I support his decisions completely."

"And I am sure you and Hibuki are right. I just want to go over them for my own piece of mind. First off, the only officer I question you about is Detective Hiroshi Shimaka..."

__________________________________________________________________________________

"What do you MEAN your handing my cases over to someone else?" 

"Exactly that, Hiroshi. You've been assigned to Precinct twenty. I don't know why, but it came down from on High." The police Lieutenant standing across the desk from him shrugged. "By the way, someone wants to speak to you in my office."

"Great, probably another 'I know their criminals, but think of your family' speeches." The young detective snarled as he rose, and stalked into the office. "Look, whoever you are I've..." The man who turned to look at him, clearly amused, shocked the detective deeply. "Sarge?"

"Actually, it's Lieutenant now, gods save me. How are you doing Hiroshi?"

"They just reassigned all my cases and told me that I was being reassigned, too. But hell, that means I get to knock off early and buy you a celebratory drink."

"Sit down for a minute, Hiroshi. I want to talk to you for a few minutes.... Then if you STILL want to, I'll let you buy that drink for me."

Hiroshi Shimaka sat down, raising an eyebrow. "Okay...go ahead."

"The reason you got reassigned is because of me, Detective." At the shocked look Hibuki nodded. "I've been given the honor, or supreme headache, of building a new division specially intended to deal with the weird, the strange, the magical and the damn near impossible. It's been named the Central Administrative Police Preternatural Agency , or CAPPA."

"Nice name." 

"I thought so, too. While officially our job is going to be roughly along the lines of CSI for the first few months, neither myself or the higher ups are foolish enough to think we aren't going to be in the thick of SOMETHING eventually. To that end I've been ordered to set up a small team of detectives to investigate crimes that may, and in this city probobly WILL, be magical or abnormal in nature."

"I've also been given the discretion to build this agency from the ground up. I want you as my Chief Detective, with the raise of rank to detective sergeant."  
"Why me?"

"First off, your an honest, righteous cop. You proved that every day here in the OCTF. Secondly, your young and can adapt, but you've been on the job long enough to know the ropes. Third, I'm the guy who trained you on the streets so I know your at least basically competent." Both men chuckled, then Hibuki raised a hand. "And lastly, because of what happened to your daughter."

"I don't need you to protect my family Sarge!" The younger cop yelled, standing. "I know I draw attention here but..."  
"SHUT UP!" the loud shout caught the detective off guard. "I'm not protecting your family. I have kids too, though they are in college and out of the house now. I know all about the dangers of this job! No, it's because of who, or rather what, rescued your daughter."

"Huh?"

"We are going to be dealing with all kinds of creatures, Hiroshi. Youma, Daemons, Golems...and possibly little green men from mars parking in handicapped spaces! I want my chief detective to be open minded enough to realize those little green men aren't necessarily invading the earth when all they wanted was a burger from McDonalds. You have reason to be open-minded."

Hiroshi Shimaka nodded, remembering the night when, because of a madman, he couldn't be there for his daughter. He also remembered a cat like creature, what at the time they thought was a youma but was now believed to be one of the Neko-jin that had been running around town for the past several months. 

"There is a catch, Hiroshi. Some of the folks you're going to work with aren't exactly normal, and I am not telling the higher ups everything. I can't and won't tell everyone, but you need to know. If you can't do that, then I'll withdraw my request for you, and let you stay here, where you are definitely doing the good work."

Hiroshi sat, looking across the desk at his old training officer. "Tell me about these people, over a drink, Boss."

"Good." Ichiro Hibuki smiled. "Oh, by the way... There is something you should know about Luna and Artemis."

They left the office, the younger officer wondering why Hibuki would want to talk about his daughter's friends.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"That does make good sense. I allowed his transfer just to get some heat off of him, but Detective Shimaka will fill the role of moderator well."

"I thought so too, when Ichiro explained it to me."

The police commissioner nodded, then set the first folder aside, pulling open another. "Now, about this woman... Reika Hagisaki. Isn't she the daughter of..." The older man pondered how to phrase it?

"Isn't she a Yakuza Princess from the Hagisaki family? Yes she is." The female police captain grinned at her superior's look of shock. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Makoto, I am never going to learn how to make cheesecake from scratch!" Reika frowned, staring and the lumpy mess in the pie pan.

"Yes you will, it just might take a little time. You said that about chocolate mouse too!" The younger girl smiled, patting the shorter woman on the back. "And Mako seemed to enjoy your last batch quite a bit!"

The two girls turned their gaze on the old, scared yakuza bodyguard, who looked up from the bowl of mouse he was finishing. "Huh?" He was further disconcerted when they started laughing like maniacs. Rising, he left the room, taking his pudding with him.

The girls walked into the living room, settling in the sofa while taking a break from baking lessons. "It's good to have you here, Makoto. I get so BORED all day when your at school. I swear, I'd get a job if I had any skills!"

The doorbell chose that rather auspicious time to ring. Mako, who had settled in an easy chair that Reika had bought specifically for him and opened the door. To the length of its chain. "Yes?"

The girls watched as Mako nodded, and opened the door fully, showing Ichiro Hibuki in a three-piece suit. "Thank you, Mako. Hello Reika, Makoto."

"Hello Sergeant. How are you?" Reika asked as he stepped into the apartment letting Mako close the door. 

"I'm not a Sergeant anymore. They promoted me against my will." The older man said with a slight grin.

"I hate it when that happens." Mako commented, nodding his head. When the cop looked back at him with a raised eyebrow he shrugged. "Hey, the Yakuza has a hierarchy too. I had that happen to me once or twice. I miss being a bouncer."

"Well now you're a butler, so accept it Mako."

The two older men, despite their wildly varied backgrounds shared a moment of perfect understanding, and grinned. "Yes Ms. Reika."

"Good. So what can we do for you..? Lt. Hibuki?" The rank was as much a question as the rest of her sentence. 

"Yep, it's Lieutenant now. And I came to, bluntly, offer you a job."

"Huh?" All three of his audience asked in unison.

"I've been given the job of building a police branch to deal with... well frankly to deal with what you girls deal with Makoto." He said, nodding to the Senshi of Jupiter, Mako frowning as he always did when he was reminded that such young girls were the only people fighting monsters. "And I've been given one huge budget to hire civilian consultants to help in my, rather undefined, mission. You, Ms. Hagisaki, are the only wizard, sorcerer, or whatever you are that I know of, and I NEED a magical expert on my staff."

"She isn't going to be no cop, Hibuki. She ain't got the skills, or the toughs."

"Mako!"

"Sorry, but it's true, Ms. Reika."

"And he's right." Hibuki agreed. "You aren't going to be a cop. Her roll will be more as an expert advisor, or a crime scene analyst. I want her to tell me what is happening, so I can have my operators deal with it directly. Not to be a front line fighter."

"Oh..." Mako muttered.

Makoto raised a hand, curious. At Hibuki's chuckle and nod she asked. "Why aren't you asking one of the Senshi?"

"One, I'd have to explain why and none of you want that yet. Two, your all way to young yet. Sixteen is a good age, but not for police work... At least not officially." Hibuki had long ago stopped doubting their abilities. He had seen them in action to many times in the past, often from far to close.

"That would make sense, Mako-chan. And wasn't I just saying I was bored?"

"This is a serious job, Ms. Hagisaki. Not a game."

"I know Lt. Hibuki. And I would very much like a serious job. If you'll have the estranged daughter of a Yakuza Oyabun, then I'm your woman."

_____________________________________________________________________________

"His reasoning is sound, but her background is questionable."

"Not really. The Hagisaki family with the exception of Akuma Hagisaki is completely legitimate now. The only bad apple they had left, Akuma Hagisaki, was disowned and killed in a van accident going to prison. What's more she doesn't get along with her father well, from all reports."

"And they won't really be dealing with the Yakuza real often I suppose. Very well, she's acceptable." Setting Reika's folder aside he lifted a third. This one had a red tag on it, showing his concern. "I'm really most concerned by the fact that he wanted an outsider, a Private eye no less, as a second in command!"

"I've checked all the databases, and his records hold up, though he is a relatively unknown element until about a year ago. He has already run through the paces for a volunteer police badge and with the exception of the actual law portion of the physical and mental tests, he passed with flying colors."

"Granted."

"He also has a B.A. in Mythology which can only be an advantage in this sort of operation."

"So tell me, have you met this..? Artemis Yui?"

___________________________________________________________________________________

"I can't believe you hacked into databases to give yourself a human identity Artemis!" Ichiro shook his head, sitting across a coffee shop table with his good, and strange, friend.

"Hey, do you know how hard it is to order things off the Internet without a credit card? Besides, it's not like I stole an identity or anything! I'm really me and you know I deserve to 'officially exist'."

"That's true. How did you talk Luna into getting one to?"

"You mean the black arrow of righteousness?" Artemis chuckled. "Usagi caught me doing mine, and insisted I do Luna to. Why do you think her name's 'Luna Tsukino'?"

"I WAS wondering about that." The cop chuckled, sipping his tea. 

"So, when did you get the rank boost, buddy? Don't think I didn't notice the gold shield when you paid."

"A few weeks ago. I was ambushed by my captain and given a 'Spook Squad' to form, so the government can pretend to keep up with your girls."

The white haired psuedo-man chuckled. "At least they aren't using cheerleaders like one rumor I read on the Net. How's it going?"

"Not to bad. I'm still looking for a Twic though."

"Twic?"

"Second in command, or Two In command. It's from the military somewhere I think."

"Oh. Why the problem?"

"Well, frankly, I don't want a ridged thinker. I need a free thinker who also won't flinch in the face of the sort of crap we're going to deal with."

Artemis nodded. "Yeah, that is tough. Anyone in mind yet?"

"Yeah. I'm just not sure how to talk him into it."

"Well, if there is anyway that I can help, just ask Hibuki." Artemis said, watching the man rise and slip on his coat. He didn't see the evil smile until it was to late.

"Glad to hear you say that. 301 Courthouse drive at nine, your office is next to mine. Glad to have you aboard number one." 

He was gone before Artemis realized what had happened.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"Yes I have, and he's about as different from Hibuki as night to day. I have to admit though, this Mr. Yui has the skills."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because he was mistakenly directed to the room we have the Sokashi killings data in, the one we thought was a revenge killing?"

"Yeah."

"He noticed that the only survivor had two nearly identical knife wounds, one above the other, and that one was a bit 'hesitant'. He wanted to know why."

"Fresh outlooks can push investigations along. Wonder how he could recognize that from a picture."

"It Seems Mr. Yui is, among other things, a third dan equivalent in Tiger Kung Fu, and a bit of a sword aficionado. He whipped the floor with the Hand to Hand instructors."

"Even old Han?"

"Oh yeah. It was a long fight though, let me tell you."

"Then he's in, if for no other reason then being a tough bastard... Even with that little vandalism charge."

"It was in England after all, sir."

"True. Now, could you tell me about this woman? Why did Hibuki get a secretary from outside the departmental pool?"

"He did get a few, but he wanted his administration head to be open minded enough to accept 'Then the monster ate me' as a valid report. He also couldn't convince Ms. Tsukino to take a consultant position."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Hibuki, you know I am responsible for the Senshi and their training, and what you are asking would have me on call for the police far too much. I must fulfill that duty first."

Hibuki silently cursed. He wanted Luna not only for her skills in analyzing situations but because she was more politically and socially inclined then any five of his other officers. He chose them for competence, not promotion ability. "Well, okay Luna. I guess I can accept that. Will you help when you can though? You've got a sharp head on your shoulders."

The black cat just rolled her eyes, and prepared to answer, but the trilling of a cell phone stopped her. Hibuki pulled the small flip phone out of his pocket and started speaking into it. "Hibuki... Yeah I ordered that. What do you mean no?... Listen you bean counting idiot, my guys are going to be dealing... What do you mean we can't be wasting money on urban myths? Where the hell are you from?.... Look, I need that equipment!"

Luna frowned, the argument continuing in front of her. Finally she shook her head, and jumped onto Hibuki's shoulder, forcing her head between his ear and the phone.

"Hello, who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I'm Sgt. Roka Mitaka. Who the heck are you?"

"I'm the person who, if you do not remember your duties, is going to call your superior and tell him what I think of your attitude." 

"Listen lady..."

"No, Sergeant, you listen. Your superiors obviously consider those urban myths you distrust so much to be enough of a threat to form an agency to deal with them, am I correct?"

"yeah, but..."  
"I asked a yes or no question, Sergeant. Reserve your answers to yes or no."

"Um...Yes ma'am..."

"Now, if they give Lt. Hibuki the funding, and the authorization to order equipment like he has, through your respectable offices, then doesn't that suggest they want him to get it?"

"Yeah, I suppose.."

"Then I suggest you do so, before your supervisors hear from me on this matter, and you find yourself writing speeding tickets for a living again. Am I quite clear?"

"Yes Ma'am. I'm sorry ma'am."

"Good. You may hang up now."

Hibuki looked on in shock. With the use of a voice tone he remembered from his school days and simple logic she had cowed the accountant, and gotten him the whatcamacallit that Reika insisted the order. 

"I'm impressed, you had that bugger eating out of your hands."

"Being the personal assistant to royalty gives you some experience with bureaucrats.

Hibuki nodded, then paused. "Personal assistant, eh? What if I gave you a job where you were only busy when the girls were in school?"

"How could you possibly guarantee something like that?"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Wait, is that the woman who answered his phone Tuesday when I called him?"

"More then likely. Why?"

"She reminds me of my wife... And I'm about as willing to tick her off! She stays just so she doesn't come demanding to know why she wasn't!"

Captain Makata chuckled. She actually rather liked Luna, and had eaten lunch with her on a few spare occasions. And she agreed with the Commissioner, since she WOULD likely come looking for an answer as to why she was fired. "She also has a political science degree, along with a degree in diplomacy. She should do well and keep that department afloat nicely.

"I already approved this Mamoru Chiba character, though the fact that he just left med school and hasn't done any residency yet is somewhat worrisome. Have you or Hibuki looked into that?"

"We've arranged for him to do rotations in the local hospital police wards and the station houses for physicals. His desired specialties are Neurology and Pathology, so on at least one count we can give him a fine education."

"Very well. CAPPA is now online, officially with my blessings. May god have mercy on our souls with this group of misfits."

Both Police Officials chuckled.

AN: Yes, I made Mamoru a doctor, because I can never remember how old he actually is, or what he actually was studying. I'm also giving him a BA in botany just to round him out. 

What, you thought I'd forget about tux boy?

As for the degrees Luna and Artemis have worked up, think about it. Throw in Artemis's computer (From the first storyline) and hacking the registries of Britain and Japan aren't a problem.

Oh, and as for the vandalism charge, Artemis reads enough and watches enough TV to know that to clean a background is a blatant sign of fakes. Luna has a streaking charge in the US if anyone wants to know. 

She doesn't know yet, so don't tell her...heh.


	3. Examination and Activation

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Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Two

"Mamoru, would you please explain to me why you are staring at the wall?" Luna asked, Curiosity and mild disapproval filling her tone. 

"Luna, your Naked!"

The Moon Cat turned human considered the sometimes prince of earths back, calmly sitting on an examination table. "Well yes, I am. Your nurse DID tell me that I should be."

"Um."

"This is, after all, a complete physical." 

The embarrassed, new young doctor nodded, still facing the wall instead of her.

Luna sighed in frustration. 'I swear, sometimes he's worse then Usagi!' "It is hardly as though you haven't seen me unclothed before."

"What?" The shocked hero spun around, momentarily forgetting why he wasn't facing her. "I've never..."

"Mamoru!" Her stern, though not sharp, tone brought him up short. "I'm a cat most of the time, so other then a collar, of course I don't wear clothes." She paused at his frown, but started speaking again before he could. "You did the physicals for officer Shin and Ms. Mahara did you not?"

"Well yeah..."

"And were you embarrassed with them?"

Mamoru sighed. "No, Luna, but I don't know them!"

"Yes, I understand. However..." Her black tail, the one feline feature her shape shifting powers couldn't hide, slipped into view. "It is not as though I can visit another doctor, now is it?"

"Okay, you made your point."

"Was there really any doubt?" She asked as he started taking her vitals. 

The former royal advisor to the Moon Kingdom and current advisor to the future Queen of Crystal Tokyo were relieved by his professionalism once he stated. She also approved of his gentle and efficient manner, with the exam being nearly over in just half an hour.

"You should get a monogram sometime in the near future, Luna. I don't have the equipment and in that exam, at least, you will be able to keep a skirt on."

"Very well." Luna said, then she smiled with just a hint of evil. "And I promise I won't tell Usagi about your intrest in my breasts." She is a cat, and they can't help playing with their prey.

Mamoru sputtered with indentation, inciting a burst of giggles from the transformed cat. "Oh get dressed!" He finally spit out.

Luna slid gracefully off the table and walked to the small exam rooms counter. "You really shouldn't be embarrassed. There's nothing wrong with nudity, and I'm not shy."

That's the moment, rather by fate or luck, the room's door swung open and Artemis stuck his head in the room. "Hey, Mamoru, have you seen Luna..."

There was one shining moment of frozen time as the two moon cats looked at each other. The jade green of the white haired neko-jin met Luna's crystalline emerald, both sets of eyes wide in surprise. Then Artemis's eyes drifted south.

"Eek!" Luna squeaked then dove out of sight behind the exam table. "Go away!" She hissed.

"Um... Uh... Meeting... Whole Unit... One hour... Bye..." He shut the door, somewhat reluctantly Mamoru thought. Turning the young doctor watched Luna peek her head over the stainless steel table. 

"Is he gone?" She asked timidly.

Mamoru fell down, he started laughing so hard.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Lt. Ichiro Hibuki strode calmly into the wardroom, looking over his small but hand picked unit from the front of the small, auditorium like room.

Detective Sergeant Hiroshi Shimaka sat in part of the room with Detectives Kiechi Tokomi, Ruy Masaki, and Ken Mendou, along with Artemis. Across the room from the young detectives Luna 'Tsukino' sat with Keiko Mahara, the only other secretary so far assigned thanks to a flu bug going around and Reika Hagisaki. Mamrou sat behind them along with his nurse whose name Hibuki couldn't remember, with an odd smile on his face. 

Sitting in the middle of the room, scattered among each other, were the small number of interns and young, almost rookie, and officers. The uniforms were the one group Hibuki hadn't selected him self and through some bureaucratic snafu no sergeants had been given to him to keep them in line. The most experienced in the group with two years on the job, Maya Shin who was ironically also his only female officer, had done an admirable job filling in for that role and Hibuki had already filed a promotion request instead of a personnel request only a few days after meeting her. 

Luna had assured him she'd get it processed by the end of the month, but Hibuki doubted it.

"Good morning, people." He greeted his troops. "First off, let me complement you all on a job well done. I was pleased by every one of you coming in to clean and decorate. Especially those who chipped in for some creature comforts... though the huge plasma screen TV might have been a bit much!"

"The room chuckled as the boss gestured to the large screen behind him, grinning at Reika's blush. "Please keep in mind that it's to be used for official presentations BEFORE baseball games and movies!"

"And I am also pleased, or almost pleased, to inform you that the brass has declared us fully operational. Unfortunately a stack of file folders came with the activation order. We have our first case, ladies and gentlemen."

"Fred, the remote please." The small Golem, who the staff had dubbed "The King" (Short for the Paperweight King) after everyone had adapted to him, hefted the Power Point controller and carried it to the CAPPA commander. He took it with a thank you, then stepped over to the light controls and dimmed the lights.

"This," he said, pressing the controls "Is, or rather was, one Himeko Lenore. Her body was discovered two nights ago by a dockworker that was investigating a bad smell from an unused warehouse." Another click changed the view, showing a circle of brown symbols surrounding the girl's body. The circle filled half the plain concrete floor, with several yellow markers from CSI scattered around. "The ritualistic nature of the killing, including the circle drawn in the victims blood, is why it was given to us. And this is a priority case folks. This is the third such killing in as many weeks." Another command key replaced the horrible image with the school photos of three young girls. 

"Himeko, along with Yumi Tamsi and Chinko Sendou, was all of fourteen and attending one of the more prestigious high schools in the area. All three were near the top of their class and athletes of some form or another. Also, as you can see, all three girls were rather attractive young ladies."

"From what the ME's could determine, along with the Missing Persons Division, all three girls were kidnapped walking home from school between twenty four and thirty six hours before they died. Rope Marks on the body show they were bound but none were sexually assaulted." Shutting down the screen Hibuki stepped back to the podium at the front of the room. "Patrolmen. You will all be assigned different high schools, which you will keep an eye on. Detectives, you will soon have complete case files on your desks to read, and later today the detectives in charge of these cases will be here for you to interview directly. Meanwhile I would like Mr. Yui and Ms. Hagisaki to look over the most recent crime scene to get her take on things."  
"Dr. Chiba, you're going to be visiting the morgue and the ME to make your own examination of the body. Work as a team people, because we can not risk letting these freaks go free!"

Shimaka raised a hand, and asked at Hibuki's nod. "We're sure it's more then one person then?"

"CSI found footprints of at least four different sizes at one crime scene, the first girl was found in a rock quarry. We are sure."

"Wonderful. Where were all three bodies found?"

"A rock quarry, a condemned apartment building, and the warehouse in order of discovery. A map has been sent over, but the officers before believed they were convenient locations and not significant other then that."

"Now, if there are no other questions?" The room as whole shook their heads. "Good. Then one final announcement. I'm going to be posting a schedule for every Member of CAPPA including our administrative staff, but not you interns, to receive weapon's training with the SDF depot. The higher ups have decided we are going to be one of the rare units issued firearms. Anyone with a problem with that report to me and I'll cut you transfer papers. Dismissed!"

________________________________________________________________________________

AN: I cut the story short there because it was running long. The investigation will start in earnest next chapter.

If you couldn't guess, Reika was the primary "Chipper in" for the luxury items. Aside from being rich and caring for her co-workers she thought it was ironic for the police to benefit from Yakuza money.

And finally, the issue the MOST people are going to get ticked about, the guns! Yes, most Japanese Street cops, like in England and a few other countries don't carry obvious firearms. However all those countries have exceptions to that stereotype as well as swat teams and streamlined methods of getting military assistance which the US does NOT have. CAPPA, having to deal with highly dangerous things like Youma qualifies as special cases, especially thanks to the public awareness that Beryl's Generals were vengeful means that the 'Civilian' administrative staff are also getting weapons to defend themselves and the interns. It's a little strange, but so are Youma.   



	4. First of Four

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry

Chapter 3

"I don't think like this, Artemis." Reika Hagisaki said, lowering her camera and glancing at the white haired man in a trench coat. He was writing in a notebook when she spoke and finished, before looking up.

"I know I don't like it. You feel it to, don't you?"

"Yes. Something big... Something Magical happened here. I just don't know what yet."

Artemis nodded. "Well that's why we got that big library for you. These symbols were very clearly drawn and look vaguely familiar to me. We found out what mean and I bet we find out what they are up to."

"I agree. I also have all the pictures I need." She stood, stretching. "And here I thought I'd just work in the offices."

"Yeah, well I didn't actually plan to work, so I can relate." Artemis also stood, his eyes running over the pattern of bloodstains. "That's weird."

"What?"

"The body was in the middle of the circle, right?"

"Yeah, that's what the pictures show."

"The why isn't there any blood there?"

_________________________________________________________________________________

Mamoru had resisted the urge to gag when the cover was removed from the body that once housed the soul of a girl named Himeko. One long gash covered her stomach displaying for anyone who saw her why she wasn't alive any more, and Mamoru couldn't help but see a resemblance between the girl and Rei Hino. They both had long black hair and strong chins though her nose was a bit more button like then Rei's. "Thoughts like that aren't going to help." He muttered to him self.

"Sister or girlfriend?" A tired, older voice asked from behind him.

"Pardon?"

"Does she remind you of your sister, or your girlfriend?"

"A friend of my girlfriend, and my own." Mamoru replied, surprised. "How did you know?"

"Because she reminds me of my grand daughter." The man who was speaking stepped into view, looking down at the girl with sad eyes.

Mamoru considered the older man for a moment. He was short, maybe only five two, with iron gray hair and a care worn expression. Slightly over weight he still seemed to be swallowed by his lab coat and green surgical scrubs.

"My name is Mamoru Chiba, I'm the Medical expert for the CAPPA, such as I am."

"I've heard about you, Doctor Chiba. I'm Dr. Hari Kensi. I'm the Chief Medical Examiner, and have been expecting you."

"I was expecting the doctor who led me in to help me."

"I like to meet all the new folks, and I have the time."

"Oh. Well it's...almost a pleasure to meet you." Mamoru smiled sickly.

Dr. Kensi nodded, with his own vague grin. "I was wondering how you'd react when you saw the girl."

"I seemed to disappoint Dr. Hotori."

"Of course, you showed emotion." Dr. Kensi shook his head. "He's one of the 'technician' types. That's my term for the ones who treat the people coming over our tables as broken machines, and not people."

"But not you?"

"No." The old doctor looked Mamoru in the eyes. "I stated as a family practitioner back before the city kept multiple ME's on staff. One of my patients, a sixteen-year-old girl I'd been treating since she was in pigtails, was murdered. The police asked me to do the autopsy."

"That must have been hard."

"You don't know the half of it son. But they caught the bastard because of the hairs I found between her fingers."

"Never went back, huh?"

The old man laughed. "Just the opposite. I happily practiced private medicine for three more years before a virus had most of the doctors in the city out of action and the police remembered me and asked me to do another autopsy." He shrugged. "They caught that one in the process of killing another woman. All my years as a doctor and that woman was the first life I'd ever directly helped to save, instead of just improve."

"That's when I never went back, so to speak."

"Did you ever get used to this?" The young doctor asked.

"No, and the look in your eyes tells me you won't either. I think I'm going to like working with you."

"Thank you." Mamoru sighed, then returned his attention to the job at hand. "Now what can you tell me about her?"

"As you can see, the knife wound stretches across the abdomen. The slash is shallow enough that none of the internal organs were badly injured, not that they had to be. They did this specifically so she'd bleed to death."

"Someone pinned her arms and legs by hand while it was happening, and she was on her back as demonstrated by several scratches and cuts from her struggles. That isn't the strange thing though..."

"What is? I haven't read the report yet." It hadn't been in the files sent to CAPPA for some reason.

"She sat at least a day before being discovered, so you tell me what's missing?"

Mamoru recognized the challenge in the older mans voice, and looked the body over carefully. He slipped his gloved hands under her and lifted slightly, looking under her. "You said she was on her back right?"

"And found that way, yes."

"Then why hasn't her blood settled in her back?"

"Quite simple, Dr. Chiba. She doesn't have a thimble full of blood anywhere in her body."

__________________________________________________________________________________

Lt. Hibuki leaned back as his Chief of Detectives entered his office. "What's up Hiroshi?"

"Nothing good. The Detectives are completely stumped and Mamoru didn't find anything new on the most recent victim. Luna and he are currently searching databases for oogie boogies that steal victims' blood and draw with it. He does agree with the ME's office that her blood couldn't have been drained by 'normal means'."

"And what did Artemis and Reika find?"

"I quote. 'Bad Magic, Artemis no like.' He said they were going to write up their actual impressions of the scene, but they are both damn sure of the scene, but they are both damn sure that magic happened in there."

"They are also looking for symbols matching the circles with several of the interns right now."

"Then at this point we're waiting to see what they find?"

"I hate to say it, but yeah. Unless something else happens it's a research game. The boys and me are going to do some nosing around anyhow, something might pan out."

"Do it." He watched the detective leave. "I just hope nothing else does happen."

___________________________________________________________________________________

Sailor Mars gasped for breath. Earlier in the evening a youma, not strong but fast, had appeared in the shopping district and began terrorizing shoppers, draining the occasional person as it went. The Senshi had arrived and begun a merry chase through the city, ending up in the wharf district and a hulk of a ship in the scrap yard. "Sailor Moon! Look out!" Sailor Mars yelled as the youma the inner Senshi were fighting fired super sonic chopsticks at the blond.

Sailor Moon yelped, and threw herself to the side to avoid the rapid-fire attack. She landed steadily, in spite of the old hulk of a ship's list. Unfortunately the old deck was rusted nearly clean through and collapsed from the weight.

"AHHH!"

"Sailor Moon! Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!" Rage guided the tallest Senshi's aim, her ball of compressed plasma hammering into the Youma's stomach, vaporizing its torso."

Mercury and Mars rushed to the hole where the Senshi's leader had disappeared. "Sailor Moon! Are you all right?"

"Yeah..." The distant reply came quickly. "I landed on some nets or something."

Down in the hold she reached up and removed her Tiara. "Moon Tiara!" She called, lighting the jeweled headpiece up like a lantern. "I see stairs, so I'll..."

She stopped speaking when her mind finally identified what was filling the floor of the hold, her blue eyes widening in horror.

She barely managed to hit the emergency "ALL CALL" on her watch before she started throwing up.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"What do we have here, Shimaka?"

"Nothing good. Artemis is inside taking pictures while Mamoru checks the body. Mamoru was the first on scene somehow."

"Good." Hibuki wasn't really surprised. "So what exactly is it that we have here?"

"It's one of ours, and I'm betting it's the real first victim. This scene is old, and messed up thanks to rats."

Hibuki nodded. "Give me the details. And who called it in?" pretending not to already know the answer.

"Believe it or not, Artemis said the Sailor Senshi themselves called our office. One of them figured it would fall into our bailiwick. Go figure." He opened his notebook and glanced over his notes before beginning.

The description did match all the previous murders. One girl, on her back, dead in a circle of her own blood. He let Shimaka lead while talking, finding Artemis and Mamoru directing several staff from the CSI division. "Find anything?" Hibuki asked, his tone displaying his pessimistic.

To his surprise it was misplaced. "Yes we did. The girl's clothing was found in a corner, which in and of it's self is a new bent on things. What we found WITH the clothes is the real bonus." Artemis held up a plastic evidence bag, inside of which a strangely colored metal pin could be seen.

"What is it?"

"The symbol it's self is a stylized Vietnamese symbol meaning 'Cool spring'. The runes on the floor are an old Chinese base dialect that developed into the modern Vietnamese. Reika was translating the words from the last site when the call came in for this."

"Is this a break?"

"In and of it's self, maybe not. However this pin is Electrum!"

"What is electrum?"

Mamoru chuckled. "I asked the same thing. It's basically an alloy of silver and gold combined. It's not all that common, and was never real popular."

"And is likely ritualistic. The pin had on it fibers that look identical to all the fibers found under the girls fingertips. I bet they had to replace it."

"Shimaka, tomorrow you and your boy's are going jewelry shopping." Hibuki said. "It seems gentlemen that the hunt is on!"


	5. Jewels in the Rough

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Four

Detective Hiroshi Shimaka and Artemis "Yui" leaned back as they waited for the light to change. 

"So how many left on the list?" Shimaka asked from behind the wheel.

"Just one more. Who knew there were so many Jewelry stores in Tokyo!"

"Not cops or cats, that's for dang sure." Both men chuckle. "Well, I take that back. I bet Luna and Ms. Mahara did." 

"It's a female thing, I'm sure." Artemis grinned.

"By the way, I haven't had a chance to talk to you before now, as busy as we've been. I wanted to thank you for everything you and Luna did all those months ago."  
"You don't have to thank me."

Shimaka glanced at the white haired man out of the corner of his eyes. "I talked to Koneko and Kasumi. They both outright told me you were the ones that saved them when they were kidnapped the first time, which is more then enough to earn my thanks Artemis."

"But then you save not only my life when the Gaki attacked that first time, but you and Luna saved my wife and child a second time"

"It's just..."

"I'm not finished, tomcat." Shimaka interrupted. "Because you weren't finished either! You saved them again, and from what Hibuki said, you were fighting the Gaki up until moments before the ship blew up! All to keep him away from my daughter." Shimaka shook his head, hitting the gas as the light changed.

"Actually, I just really wanted to beat him down there near the end." Artemis admitted, causing the detective to chuckle.

"Seeing how you look at Luna when you think no one's watching, I can guess why."

The light changed as Artemis chuckled sheepishly. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only if ya got eyes, brother! Oh and one question that comes with anther thank you..."

"Um. Okay, shoot."

"Do you know who the Senshi are? You fought with them outside elegant seas and then WITH them at Precinct 5. What happened?"

Artemis silently thanked the Senshi for their almost Universal love of Manga and Movies. "Don't you ever read the funny papers? It's traditional for super hero's to have fights when the first meet, only to work well together later! We must observe tradition."

"So you don't know?"

"Can't say I do, no." Artemis answered, intentionally vague.

"Oh well. I was just curious how they knew to call us."

"We HAVE been in the papers, buddy. If I was a superhero... I mean one who didn't work for us, I'd call us just because of who I am."

"Good point." Shimaka nodded. "Here's the place."

The car quickly parked, the two men walked through the doors of the store, looking around 'Quicksilver Dreams'. There were three counter attendants and a couple of customers inside, happily meaning the two tired and hungry cops didn't have to wait. Walking up to the free counterperson as she was cleaning a glass display case Shimaka pulled out his ID. "Excuse me Miss, my name is Detective Shimaka and this is Officer Yui. Could we speak with the owner or managers please?"

The woman examined Shimaka's badge and I.D. before looking at the two men. "Of course. Wait here a moment." She said, then walked through a door behind her.

"Hey Artemis, now's your chance."

"Huh?"

Shimaka pointed at a case filled with engagement rings. "You can make an honest cat out of Luna."

Artemis glared at Shimaka, who couldn't help but chuckle. "Hey man, you want to end my fence yowling days or something?"

"Oh god, if it's you outside my house yes!"

A few minutes later a short, over weight man wearing a leather apron over a dress shirt and tie followed the woman back out. "I'm the owner, can I help you?"

"I hope so Mr...."

"Tokoro Echiro."

"Mr. Echiro, could you tell me if you've seen something like this before?" The detective asked, holding out a picture of the Electrum pin they had found at the scene of the first victim.

"Why yes. I made one just like it a few weeks ago."

"They we need to speak in private sir." Shimaka said, glancing back at Artemis. "This pin was found at the scene of a murder."

'Of.. Of course. Please come." The older man was obviously flustered as he led the two CAPPA officers behind the show room, into his small but well kept workshop. "Now, how can I help?"

"We need to know who commissioned this piece."

"Let me look in my records." The shop owner sat at his desk come worktable and flipped through a file drawer. "Here it is." The older man handed the officers one of two manila folders. "I keep a spare copy of special commissions for Insurance companies. If it will help, it's yours."

"It will." Artemis said, taking it. "Can you tell us what the customer wanted it for, or what your impressions were?"

"He didn't really say what it was for. He did tell me it was Vietnamese for 'Cool Spring.' and that it was good luck."

"Not any more. Not for him at least."

____________________________________________________________________________________

"Okay, you three, what did you want to see me about." Lt. Ichiro Hibuki looked at the trio of Reika and Mamoru, and Luna as he entered Reika's workroom. 

"We think we've figured part of what they are doing out." Reika replied. 

"Go ahead."

"Each of the crime scenes has a large number of symbols in common. These symbols are all focused toward either invoking energy, containing that energy, or focusing energy into something all at once." She paused, waiting for Hibuki's reaction. When he nodded she continued. "However each scene also had several symbols Unique to that scene. All of the symbols had elemental significance."

"The Quarry and ship were both obvious. Earth and Water respectively. The warehouse was empty because of a fire that gutted the business that used to operate out of it six months ago, killing three employees', which is why it's not occupied even though the building has been very well, repaired."

Hibuki nodded. "And the Airport expansion is why the apartment block is condemned."

"Exactly. Now if they stay true to form they will commit one more murder." Luna took up the explanation. "The fifth element in Asian lore is wood, and we think they'll try to do it in Hotonomi Park, in the 'Wooded Walk' area."

"How sure are you?"

Mamoru shrugged. "About the Ritual they are doing, fairly sure. The next site we can't be sure, but the wood walk contains a tree of every type in Japan, as well as being closed due to the construction of an observatory on the hill above it. The picnic area half way through is a perfect spot."

A knock on the glass door distracted them, and Artemis waved a victory "V" sigh from outside while Shimaka pulled open the door. 

"I take it you found something?" 

"Oh yeah, Lieutenant. The last guy on our list was the brass ring, and gave us a copy of his work order and the address and name are even in the phone book."

"You're sure they didn't give information they just pulled out of the phone book?"

"Yep. The guy asked to be called when the piece was done, and was in a bit of a hurry. It's for real." Artemis held up a computer printout. "And our friend here is even Vietnamese, by way of the United States. It seems he's here on a student visa. We already have a couple of uniforms keeping an eye on the building, and they tell us he's even at home."

"Then lets go pick him up."

____________________________________________________________________________

Officer Maya Shin knocked on the apartment door, expressly ignoring Lt. Hibuki and Detective Shimaka on either side of the door in front of her. "Flowers!" She called, simulating cheerfulness in her voice. The tight T-shirt and blue jeans she wore was well in line with the delivery person she was imitating, and her sprightly figure which had barely passed Tokyo PD's height and weight minimums made her seem far more non-threatening then her two black belts would suggest. 

A minute passed, and she knocked again. After another minute Shimaka lifted his Radio to his lips and quietly spoke. "Shimaka here. Are you sure he hasn't left the house?"

_"Yes sir. Me and Suki can see both building's entrances between us."_

Hibuki looked over and hissed "Fire Escape?"

_"Um... No sir."_

"Damn!" Hibuki cursed, raising and kicking in the door, rushing in with Shimaka and Shin on his heels. All they found was an emtpy room and an open window.

Shimaka crossed the room and threw open the bedroom door, then the bathroom and shook his head. "He's gone, and he packed first. He's been gone for a while."

Hibuki glanced into the bedroom and agreed with Shimaka. A pile of hastily dumped schoolbooks and half-opened drawers was making that pretty damn apparent. "Artemis, you get Mamoru and Reika up here." A glance out the window caused him to groan. "The Nuggets parked the black and white in view... That's why he ran."

_"Roger that." _Artemis wasn't real happy with that bit of news.

"Shimaka, you get that PC booted up. Shin, you and I will look through the living room."

"I'm sorry, Lt. Hibuki. I..." She started apologizing.

"No. I knew they were green and I didn't check their positions. We'll work on training later. For now let's try to salvage this mess."

Shin nodded, and went to work.

  
AN: What, you thought they wouldn't have problems? I'm not that nice...actually I've been called sadistic recently...heh.


	6. Rescue!

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, or any other Anime. And if ya wanna use idea's I've got running around here go for it, just tell me cause I wanna read your story too!

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Five

"Ah ha!" Detective Shimaka crowed, holding a black address book over his head. 

"Where the heck did you find that?" Artemis asked, flipping his long braid back behind him as he rose from searching under the bed. Shimaka, Artemis and most of the rest of CAPPA's central staff had been searching the apartment of Hung Mien for several hours. Mr. Mien is the first and only suspect in what the team had started calling the 'Circle Killings' had escaped but not with everything, already Reika had a stack of occult texts to try and translate from at least three languages. The address book was a bit of a shock, just the same. 

"Out on the fire escape. He must have dropped it on his way out."

Hibuki, who had come out of the hallway where he had been speaking to the building manager, drawn by Shimaka's cry. He shook his head and muttered "Nothing I like better then a clumsy crook." He took the small journal and paged through the book. "Alan Le, Gian Hesein, and Kathy Jun. They all have weird symbols beside their names and their names sure don't sound Japanese to me. How much you want to be these are our players?"

"No bet." Artemis replied. "Anyone else interesting in there?"

Hibiki paged through. "I didn't see... Wait." Under L in the American made book Himeko Lenore's name and address were written down, with "Fire" in the notes in English. "Well look at this."

Artemis took the books, and paged through him self. "All the victims are in here..." He continued flipping, scanning every entry. "Yes!"

Shimaka read from over his shoulder. "Risa Mamano. Life."

"The next victim." Artemis said grimly.

Hibuki was dialing his cell phone before Artemis even finished the last sentence. "Captain Makata, this is Hibuki. We need people picked up from these addresses." He quickly grabbed the book and rattled them off. "I don't have the manpower."

_"Right, who are they?"_

"Our Killers. They might know we're coming, so tell the boys to keep sharp. I also need a patrol car at... Five five one north street. Their next victim is most likely a Risa Mamano. I'm on my way there now."

_"Got it. Go Lieutenant."_

"Already gone." He slapped the flip phone shut. "Artemis, Shimaka, your with me. Mamoru!" Reika and Mamoru both looked out of the other rooms. "You're in charge here. Find out why they are doing this and why they decided to do it in Japan!"

He didn't wait for responses as the leader of CAPPA disappeared out the door, the two men behind him. They burst out of the building moments later, and Hibuki threw open the door to the police cruiser he drove to the site. "I'll drive!"

Minutes later, they were howling through the streets, the lights on the cars roof bathing the evening streets in blue and red. _"All units in the vicinity of 551 north street are advised we have a residential alarm. All cars please respond."_

"Damn it!" Artemis yelled. "They've gone for her already."

"We're only a few minutes away. We have time!" Shimaka yelled. 

Hibuki just growled and jumped a curb as he slammed down harder on the gas. Minutes that seemed like hours passed before they slid to a stop next to two other black and whites. 

What they saw on reaching the door didn't comfort them.

"Sergeant, report!" Hibuki barked, above the weeping of the girl's mother as she held her bleeding husband. The man tried to comfort his wife but his own terror covered his face more then the blood from the forehead gash he'd suffered. 

"Four people with a van just burst in here and grabbed their little girl, sir." The uniformed officer said, not even demanding ID in face of Hibuki's commanding tone. "They were gone before we got here."

Artemis looked at the distraught father, the mother beyond questioning. "Sir, this is very important. What did they say, anything?"

The scared man looked at the white haired, trench coat wearing Neko-jin with wide eyes. "They said 'We have to do it tonight! We might not get another chance." He choked back his horror and tears. "Please... Help my Risa! Save my little girl!"

__________________________________________________________________________________

_"We found Mien's notes, but at least half of them are in that old language." _Mamoru's voice, slightly distorted by the Radio's speaker, barely rose above the din of the racing engine. _"It also doesn't give a location for the next killing for sure. However Reika thinks they are summoning some type of elemental creature or creatures."_

"What for and why Japan? They're all exchange students you said!" Artemis yelled into the radio's mike. 

_"We don't know why they did it here. The goal, we think, is to use the creatures against the government of Vietnam."_ Mamoru broke off for a moment. _"Mien has all sorts of anti-communist literature so that's the best bet we have."_

"Great." Hibuki growled while he expertly weaved the cruiser through traffic. 

Shimaka yelled from the back seat of the car, where he was using his own handset radio to coordinate. "We have patrolmen in just about every park now."

"Any vans?"

"They're looking."

Hibuki nodded. "Tell the crew at the 'wooded walk' that we're only one minute out."

"Right."

Seconds of relative silence passed after Shimaka relayed the message. "Unit three, come back." More silence. The car slid to a stop, suddenly, as Hibuki slammed on the brakes when the other radio car came into view around the corner.

A white cargo van had rammed the car, and both officers were visible crawling out of the wreck, neither one steady or on their feet.

"Crap!" Shimaka yelled. "This is CAPPA unit one, on location! Officers down, we need an ambulance!"

Even as he yelled, Hibuki and Artemis were diving out of the car, the cat wrenching open a door from the back for Shimaka. The two men ripped open the vans rear doors, looking in the back only to find it empty.

One of the injured cops, who were still aware of his surroundings, yelled "they went of that way! They have the girls with them!"

"Shimaka, stay with them!" Hibuki yelled as he took off running, Artemis hot on his heels.

"Did you hear him?" Artemis called. "He said girls...Plural."

Hibuki just nodded, pouring more speed into his legs. They quickly came to a fork, the sign pointing towards the wooded walk guiding Hibuki as he started to veer that way, only to have Artemis grab him and drag him towards the observatory. 

"What the hel..." Hibuki started yelling, before his eyes found what had already captured the cat-mans sharp attention. A young girls shoe lay in the mud of the other, unfinished footpath. "Damn it!" 

They charged up the hill, the human Hibuki ignoring the pain in his side. They reached the huge glass doors of the almost completed observatory, and saw into the lobby.

The four were already working, one of two young girls pinned to the ground by two of the men her clothing shredded while another was held standing and struggling by a large man, a woman waving a golden knife around her apparently chanting. 

Artemis grabbed the doors and tried to open them but the lock held. The noise of the doors being tugged drew their attention, and the killers started to visibly hurry.

"Step back!" Hibuki yelled, and snapped out with a savage kick. The plate glass shattered around the police lieutenant who didn't even pause as he charged through. He took only a few steps into the building when a sharp flash of light momentarily blinded him.

When his eyes cleared, the girl being held was now free and holding the knife. She was slowly stalking forward toward the other, still struggling girl."STOP!" Hibuki yelled, causing the girl to look back. What met his eyes caused him to freeze for just a moment, as the sickly green glow in her eyes startled him.

That pause was all the time Hibuki got as the larger killer, who had been holding the now possessed girl, tackled him while driving a fist into the cops head. "Artemis! Grab her!" Hibuki yelled as he rolled with the punch and a tackle, delivering a knee to his playmates stomach.

Artemis, familiar with the signs of possession was already after the knife-wielding child. The one woman among the students tried to tackle him, like her partner had Hibuki, having several inches on the white haired man. She received a palm to the face mid leap, the Neko-jin not even slowing down with the impact.

He quickly reached, then grabbed the girl by the shoulder. "Whoa there!" He yelled. He gasped in pain when the handle of the large knife was driven into his stomach, the demonic strength filling the girl sending him across the lobby and into a wall. 

Hibuki meanwhile had managed to roll on top of his big but unskilled opponent and delivered a savage right hook to his jaw. He jumped up even as the man slumped and ran across the room.

Diving in his own version of a running tackle, he took the demon-girl at the knees. They fell together into a pile, with Hibuki struggling for the knife, his large hands warring with the girl's powerful, petite hands.

"Hold her!" He heard one of the foreigner's yell, and fought harder knowing he was coming after him. Growling in rage the cop took the only course of action he could think of.

He bit the girl's wrist, just as the man came into view.

She released the knife suddenly with a howl of pain. Hibuki's own powerful wrench turned into a slash as he tried to disable the newcomer from his position on the floor. He smiled maliciously as he felt the metal bite into flesh.

"NO!" The howl of horror shocked Hibuki, but no where near as much as the soul wrenching howl of pain that followed it out of the mans mouth. Hibuki looked on in horror as blood fountained from the minor gash, pouring out of the mans shin like a faucet had been turned.

The demon wasn't bothered, even as the mans blood covered her. She drove a fist down into Hibuki's chest causing the cops howls to replace the dieing man. "You shall die for interfering!" The dry growl of the possessed girl's voice said as she lifted her fist for one more, final blow.

A flash of metal proceeded a loud "CLANG!". The girl slumped and Artemis looked down at her, the metal pipe he'd hit her with slightly bent from the impact. At Hibuki's horrified look he said "One plus to possession is it gives the victim a very hard head."

Hibuki nodded, rolling her off of him and climbed to his feat. Turning to find the last killer, he discovered him also on his feet, with the other girl held in front of him with his arm around her throat. "Both of you stay back!"

Hibuki slowly walked closer, hands up and non-threatening. "Look. You aren't getting away. Give up now, please, and it'll be a hell of a lot easier on you."

The arm tightened, choking the fear-paralyzed girl as Hibuki reached arm length distance. "No. I'm leaving, or she's going to die."

Hibuki sighed, and looked over the mans shoulder. "Take him."

The mans wild eyes darted behind him as he turned to look for his attacker giving Hibuki a clean shot to his temple. As the man slumped to the floor Hibuki rubbed his knuckles. "It never ceases to amaze me how often that works."

________________________________________________________________________________

"Thank you, Mr. Hino." Lt. Hibuki bowed stiffly around the tape binding his ribs. "Your skills with evil spirits are better the rumor suggested."

Grandfather Hino smiled, and shook the mans hand in a western fashion. "I was surprised when the call came. The police don't usually use my talents after all. I wonder how you even heard of me." His smile turned to a frown as he looked into the room he had just left, the formerly possessed girl weeping on Luna's shoulder. "What of her?"

"She was a ward of the state, and had run away from the orphanage about four months ago." Hibuki's eyes returned to the old priest. "Amazingly the Mamano's are taking her into their home, in spite of what happened."

"I suspect, Lieutenant, that it's more 'because' of what happened then 'in spite'. Sometimes the only way to banish the darkness is to deny it." The priest smiled. "I met them on y way in, and am sure they are good people."

"I have no doubt." Hibuki said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a ton of paperwork to do."

"Of course, Lieutenant. I need to reassure my grand daughter that the thirteen-year-old didn't hurt me. She seems to think she has to protect me for some reason." He chuckled. "If you need my help for anything again, just call."

"Thank you, I'll hold you to that."

Hibuki walked stiffly through the old station house, and entered his office with a sigh.

"Long day?" A woman's voice asked from behind him.

The old cop spun around, ignoring the pain as he dropped into a combat stance. His eyes widened as the settled on the sight of an amused Sailor Pluto. "Well...I haven't met you before."

"Oh, but we will again, Ichiro Hibuki, I guarantee that. I just wanted to meet you."

"Do I get a real name, or just Pluto? Artemis and Luna are both kind of closed mouth about you."

"Setsuna is my first name. Will that do?"

"Fine. Is there anything I can help you with, Setsuna?"

"Oh, you are, though if I hadn't spoken to myself I might have thought the opposite." The green haired guardian of time smiled. "You've changed the course of history, and our futures simply existing."

"From what the cats told me, I wouldn't think you would be this civil about that."

"Well, I wouldn't be if your potential future wasn't better then the one I thought would be." She frowned then. "But it COULD be worse."

"How do I avoid that?"

"At the risk of being enigmatic and cliche, 'Stay the course.' is what my future self told me to tell you." She looked at his desk. "What are you going to do with that knife, out of curiosity?"

Hibuki looked at his blotter, where the deadly blade sat wrapped in thick plastic. "What about..." When he looked back, she was gone. "I hate it when that happens."

________________________________________________________________________________

Akuma Hagisaki strode through the dreary gray halls of the fortress that had become his home over the past months. The ebony armor and self assured step declared to the Youma he passed that he was no longer the scared human who had first come to the Negaverse. Now he was one of its masters.

Calmly he entered the fortresses Ruler's inner sanctum, stopping at the door so he didn't risk bumping a boiling vial in the vast laboratory. "You have new's Akuma?" 

"Yes, Prince Adrian. My pawns have failed on the eve of completing the final ritual. A group of policemen stopped them."

"I am not surprised." Adrian replied, not even looking up from his alchemical work. "You even said it was unlikely this plan would meet with even the success it did. We were lucky it got this far, and the Senshi were demoralized. That in it's self satisfies me for now."

"It is worrisome that it was normal human police that stopped them, however."

Adrian chuckled, and stood. "I'm not so surprised. The common folk of this time are far more willful and talented then in my time. I expected them to eventually start fighting back." The Aqua haired prince gestured at the four large tubes, which dominated the center of his lab. Inside the forms of four girls were visible only as silhouettes. "And I doubt police will be able to handle THEM when I am done!"

AN: Ya thought I forgot about Akuma and Adrian didn't I. And what's this? A SMART villain who doesn't punish underlings? This CAN'T be good.


	7. Um This isn't about trademarks, right?

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. I actually don't own much of anything, so, as you know.

****

"Excuse me." 

Kaji Hotori looked up from his paperwork and peered around him. He frowned when he found no one standing across from him a CAPPA's 'Desk Officer' station.

"Hey you idiot! Down here!"

Growling, Hotori leaned forward, planning to give the guy a piece of his mind. The words caught in his throat at what he found. 

The creature on the other side looked back at the stunned officer with a frown on his primate face. Impatiently he dusted off the turtle shell covering his torso. He shifted the huge cucumber he was carrying from one shoulder to another before finally he gave up waiting.

"I want to see this Ichiro Hibuki fellow!" The Kappa demanded. 

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Six

Ichiro Hibuki, Police Lieutenant and director of CAPPA (_Central Administrative Police Preternatural Agency_) was sitting at his desk staring at his shoe. It's not that it was all that interesting as footwear goes, or that he was feeling down as some folks who look at their shoes are. It was simply because his shoe was untied. 

Now, ordinarily, a loose shoelace on his polished, black leather shoes wasn't really worth as much attention as he gave it that morning, but then he didn't have broken ribs every day either. This morning his wife had tied them for him, but neither had taken into account that it might become untied. 

"One day, you save little girls from murder and the next you can't tie your own shoes. There is a haiku in there somewhere." He muttered. One of the little girls had broken the ribs while possessed, but heroism didn't get a man's shoes tied. "Maybe Luna will do it."

He was reaching for the intercom when Luna's voice, a cultured contralto, came from the speakers. "Lieutenant. There is someone out here wishing to speak to you, and they insist that it is urgent." Her voice was calm, but that didn't tell Hibuki much since the captain from Precinct Seven had shown up to complain about Hibuki's use of personnel during the "Circle Murders" case. Luna had required him to sit politely before even buzzing Hibuki.

This after half an hour of constant demands and even threats. People feared his secretary, often times more then the feared him!

"Send them in, Luna." He spoke into the intercom, sitting up and swinging his shoelace out of view. He blinked in surprise when Luna opened the door, to let a very short creature with a turtle shell and a huge cucumber enter. "Luna. He's a Kappa."

"Yes sir?" Luna's response was sober, and she seemed confused at the fact that Hibuki felt a need to point that out. 

The Kappa, for his part, frowned. "Don't worry, Ms. Luna. I'm used to humans reacting that way." The Kappa entered the office and glanced back. "Thank you just the same, and it was good to see a Moon Cat again after all this time."

Luna smiled, and closed the door leaving Lt. Hibuki and the Kappa alone. 

"How... Um... How can I help you..? Sir?"

"My name's not really pronounceable by you human types, but you can call me Trout-King. T-K for short."

"Very well, T-K." Hibuki didn't think he could use the full name, without feeling like an idiot. "Now what can I do for you?"

"Find out who's dumping garbage in my spring! My herds are dieing because of them!" 

"What spring is yours, if I might ask?"

"Oh, what do you call it..? Tokyo Municipal Park. It's a nice spring that flows into the ocean, and it used to be clean!" The agitated little creature was literally hopping up and down in anger. 

Hibuki couldn't say he was happy either, since that stream went through the park and was a health hazard if it became contaminated. Of course, it could be someone just dumped some soap into the water without realizing the effects and it would be gone in a few days. "I'll get someone to take your statement, and help you out." Hibuki stood, grimacing, and limped to the door, the Kappa eyeing him. "Artemis, could you come here for a moment?"

The white haired Neko-jin walked over from the coffee maker. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" He asked, stepping into the office and looking over its unusual occupant. 

"This is T-K, Trout-King, and someone seems to be polluting his home spring. I'd like you to check it out and see what exactly we're dealing with here."

"No problem. Would you like to show me the problem?"

"Of course I would, cat." He said, then reached out to shake Hibuki's hand. "Thanks for taking me seriously young man. Now tie your shoe before you trip."

Hibuki watched them leave, and shrugged. "Gonna have to get used to this." He muttered as he bent to tie his shoe. He froze when he realized he was bending over with only slight discomfort. "Well I'll be." Shrugging again at the Kappa's parting gift, Hibuki walked out to Luna's desk. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Of course Lieutenant."

"Contact the Parks department and the Sixteenth, and check on drowning deaths in Tokyo Municipal Park." Quietly Hibuki hoped there weren't any. It'd be a shame to bust the guy who healed his ribs. 

__________________________________________________________________________________

"Nice place." Artemis muttered. He had walked to the park while the Kappa had flown back on his cucumber to avoid the crowded streets. Upon entering the park the Kappa had dragged him to one of the inevitably less maintained parts of the park. 

The high grass and overgrown bushes were intended to let wild animals and birds have a place to breed relatively safely. It also concealed one portion of T-K's spring. 

"Yeah, it is. Not that silly 'Manicured' lawn that fills so much of this place."

"And this is where the dumping happened?"

"Yes. Three times, in the past nine days! Now come on!" The Kappa again hopped on his giant pickle and 'surfed' it over the bushes. Artemis followed by jumping into a tree and bouncing three limbs to tree limb, his long and ever present coat flapping around him like a cape allowing only occasional glimpses of his tail. 

They soon reached a fairly clear section of shore, and the white haired cat turned man frowned. Shimmering on top of the water was some sort of residue that shouldn't be there. Artemis concentrated, mentally doing the flips his human body couldn't and smiled when his tiny super computer appeared in his hand. "Beat ya, Luna." He muttered as he booted it up. Luna was going to die when she found out he could access subspace at will.

The computer based on similar if less advanced technology then the Mercury computer put everything but the Mercury computer and perhaps some experimental super computers to shame. Its abilities included the ability to scan and analyze its environment. "Okay, I don't know what these chemicals are, but they shouldn't be here." Artemis muttered to the water spirit beside him.

Tapping a few more keys he requested a modern list of uses. [1: Development of Photographs, along with other chemicals. 2: manufacture of Methanphetemines, 3...]. Artemis ignored the individual uses, focusing instead on the second option. While the spring was definitely polluted illegally, the amounts were way to small for an industrial crime, and Artemis figured private photography enthusiasts wouldn't need to dump it in a spring. "Hibuki's just going to love this."

______________________________________________________________________________

Luna sighed as she stepped off the elevator. "We really are going to have to find another place to keep our clothing." She muttered, frowning at her aching feet. The reason she was complaining was because Artemis and Luna both kept their small collections of clothing at Mamoru's apartment across town from CAPPA headquarters. While not a big deal for Mamoru or Artemis who both drove, and she still wanted to know where Artemis learned to drive and she didn't get an official car like her sometimes boyfriend, and she didn't work late enough to ride with them most days. She usually had to ride the train and walk the rest of the way.

Unlocking the door she walked in to find Usagi Tsukino curled up on the couch, crying. "Usagi? What's wrong?" The shocked cat exclaimed. 

"Luna!" Usagi looked panicked for a moment, before slumping and returning to crying. "Damn it." She whispered softly. 

Luna's sharp ears caught the whisper, shocking her further. The humanoid cat ran to her princess's side and pulled her into a deep hug. "Shh... What's wrong?"

"I didn't wan... Want you to think...sniff... I was scared?"

"What? What would you be scared of?" Luna frowned. She'd been worried about Usagi the past few nights, when her ward kept having nightmares for the past week. The girl woke up and was her usual chipper, late self every morning. Luna had assumed the girl was all right. "That poor girl... She looked so horrible!" Usagi wailed, clutching Luna tightly. 

"Poor girl? What..." Luna's eyes widened slightly. She had somehow completely forgotten that it was Sailor Moon who had first found the first Circle Killing site. She'd been upset that night, but seemed to absorb it with her optimism intact. 

Apparently the effects went deeper then Luna thought. "It's okay. Hibuki and Artemis got the monsters responsible for that and they won't be hurting any more people." Luna didn't mention that Hibuki suspected there were four girls still unaccounted for. The second, possessed girl at the broken ritual had been grabbed only a few hours before the sacrifice. 

"I know... Artemis was so proud." Even through her tears, she giggled. "He sure bragged a lot."

"Especially since Hibuki says he got slapped across the room." Both females laughed. "Now cheer up! Of course you can probably get a nice dinner out of Mamoru with those puffy eyes." 

"Your bad, Luna!" 

"No." Luna sat up straight. "But it works on Artemis." They giggled a bit longer then Luna caught Usagi's eyes. "Now, do you feel better?"

"A little." Usagi admitted. Then she got the expression Luna most worried about on her face. Determination. "I want to help!" 

"Help with what?"

"With CAPPA."

"Usagi..." 

"No Luna. What good is being Sailor Moon OR Princess Serenity if I can't help everyone!" 

"You're too young to be a cop, Usagi."

"Then I'll help you, or Reika, or Mamo-chan. Well maybe not him because what he does is creepy, but I want to help!" Her eyes narrowed. "Either Usagi Tsukino gets to help, or Sailor Moon is going to pitch a tent on CAPPA's roof!" 

"Luna groaned, sensing one of THOSE situations. Why Usagi chose to take after Queen Serenity at times like this she'd never know. "Look, I'll talk to Lt. Hibuki but don't you dare do anything until I do, got me?"

"Thanks Luna!" 

The Moon Cat sighed, wondering absently why she didn't take that diplomatic posting to Jurai. 

AN: Okay, first off this story is set up well for Cameo mini-crossovers as someone suggested in a Review. Since I like Crossovers I'm not really going to resist, I'm just not going to do it yet. 

I also have had a request for more Senshi involvement. Just so you all know, that was already planned and is now underway. However keep in mind the Moon Cats series started with the idea of using Luna and Artemis in a way I hadn't seen done before, and the same will be true of the Senshi... Both inner and outer. Haruka, AKA Sailor Uranus, will make an appearance in the next chapter as something other then a Sailor Senshi or a race car driver, and she's likely to be a recurring role.

Also, since someone brought up the issue of Hotaru fighting with the Senshi, I'm going a little Alternate history on this. One, because I can never keep the Senshi's attacks straight, and two because then I have a hell of a lot more freedom. Thus the reason there will never be a purification of the world (Though there was still a Nemesis, and they still went to a time with it... Time Travel is a bad thing).

Hope that cleared some things up, and wetted a few appetites. Until then, expect to see me, when you see me. 


	8. Stakeout

Disclaimer. I don't own Sailor Moon or any other Anime. I do own the original characters in this fic however, so my fee for using them is to tell me you did it.... I wanna read the story too!

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Seven

Lt. Ichiro Hibuki adjusted the ear protectors covering his ears, blinking in the dimly lit shadows of the helicopter. The cool air of the night blew violently around as the aircrafts rotors cut through the atmosphere. He leaned forward and spoke into his headset mike. "I have to thank you again, Ms. Tenou. The department wasn't sure about Artemis's idea."

"No problem! I don't get to fly much lately, anyway. You gave me an excuse to spin this thing up." Haruka, otherwise known as Sailor Uranus, glanced back with a smile. "Besides, with your police clearance, I get to fly lower and faster then usual."

Hibuki chuckled. The department wouldn't fund a helicopter state out for what MIGHT be a drug case, and narcotics didn't think the limited evidence supported a large expenditure in man power, though they did arrange for a raid team to be on call that night. Trout-King had assured the CAPPA officers that the dumping had been happening every three nights like clockwork. The helicopter was so Hibuki could direct his own people as to what car to follow without having to use his entire unit on the stake out. His people had collected other cases shortly after the first, big one and he couldn't afford to waste manpower. 

"Got something." Artemis yelled. Hibuki looked down at the cat man, who held a set of simple binoculars to his eyes. Hibuki, who lacked the cat's night vision, lifted a set of Night Vision Goggles to his eyes. 

"Oh yeah, that's a barrel. Did you see them come in?"

"No, but ya bet I'll follow them out." 

"Did you get that Shimaka?"

_"Oh yeah."_ Came over the radio. _"Any direction likely? It'd cut the possible entrances down."_

"South or southeast is my bet." Artemis responded. "Get you and Maya over that way."

_"Roger that."_

The suspects disappeared into the brush for about a minute, the stepped back out with only one man carrying the barrel. "We got the dumpers, what ever else they may be."

Hibuki grunted in agreement. "Southern parking lot. Looks like... A panel van."

"Blue cargo van." Artemis corrected. "Haruka could you drift a bit closer. I can't quite read the plates."

"Roger." The blond said, even as the helicopter tilted slightly.

"The plates read... XX725... and I can't make out anything else." 

"It'll do, Arty. We'll tell you where we're going." 

"Roger." Hibuki leaned back again. "Haruka, could you switch to frequency B?"

"Done." 

"Yaki, this is Hibuki. Are you all ready?"

_"Yes Lieutenant." _The detective on the other end replied. Sergeant Hotoro Yaki and small narcotics team was on stand by, pending what CAPPA dug up that night. 

"Switch to the 'A' frequency then. We have our boys and the ground unit is in pursuit." 

_"Roger. Loading the truck now." _

"Back to 'A' please, Ms. Tenou."

"Call me Haruka. Back to 'A'." 

"Shimaka, where are you?"

_"West on fifth. Looks like the warehouse district."_

Hibuki ignored the shift as the helicopter turned and flew towards the warehouses near Tokyo bay. "You get that Yaki?"

_"Roger. We've been seeing a lot of stuff that way lately. Looks like Mr. Yui's hunch was right."_

"They usually are, Yaki." Artemis assured, sitting up and closing the helicopter's sliding door. 

_"I'll remember that." _

Shimaka interrupted. _"We have a location." _He rattled off the address and simple directions by road. _"It's boarded and looks deserted." _

"Then it's the real deal. Haruka, can you find that?"

__

"Reach into my flight bag and get me my road map." Hibuki did as she asked, opening the professional grade map book to the proper page. 

"Oh yeah, that's near the docks right?"

_"Maya says yes." _

"Then when you hear a helo, wave a flashlight. Keep a look out for me Artemis."

"Right." A few minutes later. "Got it. Two blocks left and one forward."

'Commencing and orbit then." She looked down at her control panel. "I have thirty minutes before I have to head back. What's your ETA Yaki."

_"Ten plus say... ten to set up. You don't mind giving them a panic attack like we discussed?"_

"I said I would! Hell Yaki, it'll be fun!"

_"I'm betting on you, your next race. You get guts, girl." _

"Idle wealth plus a low boredom threshold."

"Okay people, cut the chatter." Hibuki growled. "Give us a call when you're good to go Yaki."

_"Roger Lieutenant." _

Artemis, Hibuki, and Haruka all silently waited for the signal. The minutes seemed to stretch forever. 

_Now!"_

Haruka was already swinging the helicopter around before the word was finished. The howls of the diving helicopter drowning out the radio traffic from the narcotics raiding team. Almost as if teleported, from Hibuki's perspective, the small helicopter was hovering only a few meters above the warehouse roof. A skylight, old and fragile, actually shattered which had to add about ten times to the sound, and the raining glass would disrupt any resistance the narcotics boys might be running into. 

Haruka hovered, giving the crooks below something to think about, but after a few minutes brought the helicopter up and around, heading back to the private airfield she kept it at. "Sgt. Yaki, this is Haruka. I am low on fuel and returning to the airfield."

_"Understood. You scared these buggers but right!" _

"We aim to please." She said with a chuckle.

Hibuki also laughed. "I take it your not having any problems, Sergeant?"

"Naw... They folded like cheap chairs."

"Then meet us at Harkada's bar and grill. First round is on me!"

__________________________________________________________________________________

"... And we rush in, ready to bust heads, and all twelve of them are staring at the ceiling." Yaki was laughing, the whole image, in his mind, hysterical. "Then ONE of these brain doners looks down, at us, and says 'Oh... Hello'!" Haruka and Artemis start laughing along with the narcotics detective, all three several sheets to the wind. 

"By the way, Artemis! Why don't you take your coat off and stay a while?" 

"I'm cold Yaki." Was the fairly drunken moon cat's reply.

The detective blinked. "It's like eighty degrees in here!" 

Haruka jumped to his defense. "He always wears a coat. He really likes fur better though!" And the defense crumbled like a coffeecake.

"I don't have to take this abuse!" Artemis declared, stumbling to his feet. "Besides I have to use the litter box."

Shimaka shook his head, sitting at another table with Hibuki. "Okay, we aren't letting Artemis drink anymore."

"Why not? It was a good bust, and he has as much right to party as the rest of them." Hibuki said.

"He's had a beer and a half in the past hour Ichiro!" 

Hibuki looked at his own beer, his second, and he didn't even feel it yet. "Right. No drinking for Artemis. I wonder if Luna has the same problem."

"I'm torn between wanting to find out, and not." Shimaka chuckled. "I bet she's an elegant drunk though!" 

"Nah!" Artemis, having made a shockingly fast round trip, Hibuki hoped, spoke up. "She starts singing and gets all maudlin and stuff. Then she starts fights!" The white haired cat-man grinned. "She's also a really cheap date!"

Then he slumped across their table passed out.

"I'll give you a hundred yen to take him home." Hibuki said.

"Nope. My wife gets angry if cops puke in the family car."

"Two hundred?"

"Nope." 

"Damn." Hibuki stood and hefted the small man over his shoulder. "I'll head out then. Do me a favor and stop anyone who's had too much from driving. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Later."

Hibuki carried Artemis out, slipping him into the back of his own car. While the cat obviously couldn't handle alcohol to save his life, the less then two beers in two hours didn't have any noticeable effects on the larger human. Shaking his head Hibuki drove to Mamoru's house. "he's going to feel this in the morning!"

____________________________________________________________________________________

Luna paused, looking down at an unusually disheveled Artemis who was laying his head on his desk with concern. "Artemis, do you feel well?"

"Don't yell." He groaned.

"I am not yelling." Luna said, in a softer voice. "Have you seen Mamoru? It might be the flu."

"Migraine?"

"No. It's not a migraine." Artemis growled. 

Luna got annoyed. "I realize you do not feel well." Luna spoke loudly, causing Artemis to writhe in his chair. "However that is no reason to take it out on me!" 

"He's hung over." Shimaka said, trying to come to the white haired officer's rescue. "We got the meth lab and we all had a few drinks to celebrate."

"Oh!" Luna nodded. "You really shouldn't have, you know how alcohol affects you." 

"This from the woman dubbed Luna 'The Beer Barbarian' Tsukino in college. "Part of his mind cheered at not only remembering their silver millennium college days but also remembering her 'last name'. Unfortunately his internal editor was still sleeping off the night before, along with his survival instinct.

Shimaka, for his part, absently thought Luna was rather pretty when she blushed, almost as attractive as his wife did. 'Yep.' he thought 'she gets all red when she gets angry, too.'

"Well Artemis!" Luna outright yelled, leaning closer to Artemis for added effect. "I seem to remember SOMEONE waking up with every inch of hair shaved off their body, with no idea when it happened once!" Artemis whimpered. "Really, that fight was over like... A thousand years ago!" 

Luna turned and paused, blushing, when she realized everyone in the building was looking at her. She rushed off to the bathroom.

Shimaka, quietly, opened the 'Artemis and Luna engagement' betting pool logs and bought another, earlier date. A tap on his shoulder caused him to look up. "Yes Lieutenant?"

The older man handed him some yen. "Within the next month, the sixteenth through the twentieth please." He said quietly.

"Inside info?"

"Naw, just reminds me of my wife and me." They both chuckled and Hibuki walked back to his office to work on paperwork. About half an hour there was a knock on his door. "Come!"

Luna slipped in, shutting the door. "Lieutenant, I would like to talk to you about something but it is a little awkward."

"Go ahead. I've got some time."

"Usagi was extremely disturbed by what she found on that ship, and she's been loosing sleep over it." 

"I'm not surprised. I lost sleep!" 

"So did Artemis and Mamoru from what they said. The problem is Usagi feels like she should be doing something to protect people from things like that."

"She does, Luna. Somehow she does it in heels!" That alone had never ceased to amaze Hibuki. 

"She doesn't feel that way. She wants to help out here." 

"out of the question! She's way too young to work here."

"I'm not talking about being on the streets Lieutenant. She'd be happy helping me in the offices!"

"I can't. The department would throw a fit if I had a young girl hanging around. If she was a boy I could do something..." His own internal alarms went off, unlike Artemis giving him a chance to back up.

"What do you mean 'If she was a boy'?" Luna frowned, giving her supposed boss a disapproving look. 

"It's not my fault! The commissioner started an Explorers club for young men, but it's rules say only boys can join!"

"Explorers?"

"Young people learning about being a cop in an actual station house, after school some days. We stole the idea from the American boy scouts."

"Lieutenant, I'm going to be eating lunch with Captain Makata if you need me." She said, turning and exiting the office. Hibuki absently thought about warning the police commissioner but decided against it. 

Luna would know who warned him, after all.

AN: The power of Luna's disapproving look! And do you really think just Usagi's going to be involved? Of course, maybe I should let some of the Senshi loose in other departments though. Chaos can be fun. 

Who likes Usagi and Hotaru at CAPPA HQ? I do.


	9. Oops

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, or any other anime. There, happy now?

_"Commissioner, Your two O'clock has arrived." _The Commissioner of the Tokyo police departments looked up at his intercom, thankful for the respite from his paper work.

"Send them in." He stood smiling in greeting as Captain Sariko Makata and Luna Tsukino entered his office. "Ah ladies, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" The commissioner genuinely liked and respected both women. They sat, and he followed their lead waiting patiently.

"I am afraid this is about the Explorers organization you have spearheaded, Commissioner." Luna spoke first, sitting on the edge of the chair in that slightly unnerving manner of hers. For some reason it always reminded him of how a cat considered a mouse. "There is a problem that must be fixed." 

"What problem? Every precinct it has been active in has said only good things about the boys. I didn't even think you had any in your house yet Sariko.

"I don't, but I am hoping you will help me change that. The problem isn't with the program, but its scope. As you said, the BOYS are doing quite well."

"I'm not sure I understand..."

"It's the fact that they ARE all boys." Luna jumped in. "What about young women who have an intrest in a police career?"

"But police stations aren't proper places..."

"I hope you aren't going to say young women sir." Captain Makata picked the discussion up again. "After all, I had THOUGHT you were one of my supporters. Besides, several of our best officers are still fairly young women."

"Well okay, that is true." The Commissioner agreed, trying to rally. 

Luna continued the tag teaming. "Then I suppose you won't mind signing these two orders. I've already offered to monitor the young people our branch of the Explorers will recruit for the 9th precinct. All that is needed is your stamp of approval." Luna stood, offering the sheets for stamping and signature. 

"That is, unless you want me to disappoint several girls by saying you didn't want to give them a chance." The female police captain fired one last shot into the already crumbling wall. 

"Okay! You made your point!" He quickly signed both papers. "Happy?"

"Of course not. It means more work for both of us. You probably made the right choice though." Luna said, tucking the sheets under her arm.

"Nurturing the young is important." The Captain agreed. "Even if it means having teens underfoot."

"We'll just give these to your secretary outside." Luna assured the man, then they were gone.

Outside the building, several minutes later, the captain stopped the cat-girl. "What was the second sheet?"

"Oh, just an authorization for Maya Shin to be allowed to test for Sergeant. The promotion board was taking to long."

"Ahh." The other woman nodded. "How about a late lunch, my treat."

"Sounds good."

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry 

Chapter 8

****

"Hello Usagi, Hotaru." Hibuki smiled at the two girls. "I know Usagi wanted to be here, but what about you Hotaru?"

"My guardians thought it would be good for me to have some out of school interests. That and Luna urged me to."

"I know she got the other... inners I think you call them?" The girls nodded. "They are in the house across the street, though. Why both of you here?"

Hotaru blushed, looked nervous and stared at the floor. Usagi ended up answering for her. "She can heal people with a touch."

"Really?" Hibuki raised an eyebrow at that. "How well?"

"She's saved my life, and the rest of us. It's exhausting for her though."

Hibuki nodded and considered the nervous, dark haired girl. "And why are you so nervous?"

"Everyone calls me names like freak after they find out. They act like I'm some kind of monster."

'They are fools, then." Hibuki waved a hand, dismissing 'them' out of hand. "Now around here, we have two shape shifting cats, a yakuza princess, a magical prince, a Kappa who comes to visit with lunch from time to time, and a walking paperweight for whom the uniforms are building cat-walks, pun intended, for." Hibuki shook his head. "Heck girl, I doubt they'd notice if you wandered around in your fuku's some days. Your healing ability won't bother anyone." He didn't mention that he was really happy to have THAT little trick in his bullpen. 

"Oh. Um. Okay." The pale girl said. She hadn't quite thought of it that way.

"Good. Now as for what you girls will do around here. While on occasion you'll ride along on our 'trouble spot patrols' you're both generally going to be around here playing assistant to whichever of the detectives or staff need one. I do not, however, expect you to spend most of your time around Mamoru, Usagi."

The blond giggled nervously.

"Now, unless absolutely necessary, you won't transform and try to take on monsters while we are dealing with them. We will be able to handle more then you might think and if things do get ugly I will happily accept the help then, but only then."

"Now one last thing, something I want you two used to seeing." Hibuki reached into his desk, and revealed a holstered pistol. "Most of the staff is going to start carrying these soon, and you'll have to get used to seeing them. Myself, Luna and Detective Shimaka are actually scheduled to complete our proficiency training today and you're coming along so we can show you what you have to know if one somehow gets dropped in you're path." He paused. "And no I don't mean using it. I mean unloading and safing it. I don't want uneducated children around guns, I already have interns as it is. You two have a hell of a lot more combat experience and I expect more out of you."

"Yes sir." Both girls replied both eyeing the gun nervously. 

"Good, any questions?"

"Where's Reika? We looked for her while you were in your meeting, and couldn't find her anywhere."

"Artemis needed her for something. He didn't say what."

__________________________________________________________________________________

"You want me to what?" Reika hissed at the white cat in her arms.

"Throw me over the fence. It's electrified so I can't just climb it."

"Why?"

"I got a tip that these guys are playing with something left behind after a Senshi battle. From the sounds of it, the got a Daemon egg intact."

Reika looked at the warning sign, which read [Biogentec Research: Warning, Electric fence.] "You think they are trying to make monsters?"

"I don't know. I just have to get to their computers inside. They keep the research data off Internet accessible computers or I'd have just hacked them. Now come on!" 

"And how do we get you back out?"

"Just ask the guard on duty if he'd seen your lost cat in about an hour. I'll meow, he'll hand me over, and all is right with the world. Now throw me please!"

Shrugging, she tossed him up and over the fence, watching as he face planted on the other side. The cat rose, and spit out some grass. "I thought cats landed on their feet." Reika said.

"Usually, when we're given a little warning.

"Hey, you asked!"

"I know, I know. Meet me at the front gate in one hour." 

"Okay, just hurry!" 

Artemis nodded and ran towards the large, low building of Biogentecs primary research lab. Stealthily the white cat crept around to the back of the building where he got lucky and found an open cargo dock. Slipping in while several workmen and a woman in a lab coat unloaded a box marked 'Neptune Microsystems.' Chuckling softly he noted it down to tell Michiru about later.

Running through the halls Artemis kept close to the walls, ducking behind equipment when ever possible while making sure that no witnesses were around to spot him. He carefully kept track of the rooms he passed the Map he'd downloaded of the facility sharp in his mind. He reached the door he was looking for, the only lab that the project wasn't listed for on the main, Internet vulnerable computer system. Artemis smiled because there were no guards around the doors. 

"Maybe I won't have to hack the Intranet here then." He muttered, slipping beside a nearby soda machine. With a flip and a small lightshow the cats disguise pen appeared. "Make me a scientist!"

Soon he was back at the door, opening the shockingly unlocked door. Slipping inside he found... nothing. The lab was not in use, apparently having been converted into an equipment storeroom. "Well great." 

Slipping back out, he walked through the halls, this time headed for the central computer servers while he admitted to himself it was quite possible that the information his contact, otherwise known as the internet rumor mill, was wrong. It wasn't in Artemis's nature to just give up, though.

"Watch out! It's loose again!" The yell, from behind Artemis, brought him up short. Spinning he saw nothing for a moment, then a metal... something came around the corner and slammed into the Neko-jin plowing him into a wall. The last thought as he slipped unconscious was 'Reika's gonna kill me.'

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Okay, Lieutenant, you pass. Now you Ms. Tsukino."

"What?" Usagi, standing next to Hotaru, looked at the SDF sergeant in confusion until Luna patted her shoulder. "He means me, Usagi." She said, stepping up to the firing booth and slipped a clip into the pistol. "I still don't agree that I need to learn how to use these."

"I know Luna, but the brass insists."

"I know. Whenever you are ready, Sergeant."

The SDF non-com sent a paper target down the range. "When ever your ready, ma'am."

Luna calmly brought up the pistol, and squeezed the trigger thirteen nearly mechanical times. Shimaka, still waiting his turn, shook his head. "Luna, you really should take time between shots to aim again." He said, while the sergeant collected the target. 

"Another perfect round, Ms. Tsukino. You have to share your secret." The sergeant chuckled, ignoring the mass face-fault behind him.

"Actually Sergeant, I think I could have grouped those a bit tighter. I hit the ring once, see?"

"Still counts as in the ten ring, ma'am. Next you, Mr. Shimaka."

Hibuki, the one CAPPA who'd had an occasion to practice with Luna other then Artemis just chuckled as his old partner stepped up to the firing line. The trill of his cellular phone drew him away from the shooting. "Hibuki here."

_"Lieutenant, this is Reika." _The young woman's voice came across the phone. _"There is a problem sir! Artemis went in to investigate but... He didn't come out!" _

AN: Might be a little short and I'm sorry. If your wondering about the gun issue with the girls, I know several cops and all of them are fanatical about people knowing the proper way to handle a gun, so they don't accidentally shoot them. One of them MADE me learn how to work his pistol, even though I wasn't really eager to, 'just in case.' This isn't universal, but it is frankly safer to make sure people know something, then let them run of what they see on TV.


	10. Help from the other side

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, and I'm not making money off this, and trust me I could use some cash!

****

Moon Cats: Fearful Symmetry 

Chapter Nine

"Okay Reika, start at the beginning." Hibuki, along with Shimaka and a very agitated Luna looked at the young woman. Reika was visibly distraught and a little dirty, both of which were out of character for her. 

"Artemis came into my workroom this morning and asked if I would help him with a project." Reika began. "He said he wanted to check out a rumor that this tech company, Biogentec, had gotten a hold of a 'Daemon egg'. You know one of those things the Senshi fought a few years ago?" Hibuki nodded, urging her to continue. 

"We went out, I thought to look the place over. Actually that's what we did do at first, him looking physically while I watched mystically." She sighted. "There IS something strange in there, Lieutenant, and I told him as much. That's when he decided he needed a closer look."

"He shifted into his cat form and told me to toss him over the electrical fence so he could nose around. When I went to the gate to ask if they'd seen my cat, like he told me to, he wasn't there! I looked around for an hour before calling you. I'm worried."

"That idiot. He didn't even mention this to me!" Luna hissed, anger and fear conspiring to make her voice rough.

"Me either, which means when we find him he's getting an explanation on proper procedure." Hibuki was frowning. "The tricks going to be getting in to look for him. Biogentec has pretty good security from what I've heard."

Detective Shimaka nodded. "When I was in the OCTF we were investigating them for taking 'Mob money'. They have 'watchdogs' over everything they own but they turned out to be as clean as they could be and still be in business."

Hibuki nodded, and looked at his chief detective. "Why were you suspicious of them?" Plenty of Yakuza and other crooks, sorry Reika, invest legitimately."

"This was about four years ago when I first joined. Akira Hagisaki had bought enough stock to get onto the Board of Directors, and we didn't know he was going legit at that time." The detective chuckled. "Your father had the OCTF pretty confused for a couple of years, Reika."

"He's confused me my entire life." 

Hibuki had been thinking through the entire explanation. "Reika, could you get your father to get us in? That facility won't want to piss off a board member and if they do have an unregistered Daemon thing in there they are looking at a hefty fine if the Business Administration gets a hold of them."

Reika sighed. "I'll ask him." She didn't look real happy about it though. 

"Then do it, tonight. They do animal testing in there."

___________________________________________________________________________________

Artemis woke with a groan. "What hit me?" He slowly opened his eyes... And whished that he hadn't when he found himself in a small rage, and a cat. "How the heck did I change?" He wondered. 

Since discovering his innate ability to shape change he had fallen asleep and even passed out drunk once. That didn't change him so what's different now?

Shifting his head, he groaned in pain. A concussion would help to explain it. 

"We don't HAVE any cats!" A mans voice said, even as a door opened across the room. Two men, one short and fat, another younger and taller. The younger man was the one that had spoken.

"Then he's the perfect candidate. We won't have to fill out paper work to request the lab animal." The older man said, picking up a spray bottle. "I've grown tired of Director Masuki's over cautious nature." The fat scientist had crossed the room to the front of Artemis's cage and pointed the bottle at the white cat. Triggering the sprayer a strange chemical filled Artemis's nose causing him to collapse weakly. 

The man then reached in and grabbed the now limp cat and carried him to a worktable, a locked refrigerator resting beside it. Unlocking the cooler door the scientist opened it giving the Moon Cat a good look at its contents... Including a PAIR of daemon eggs floating in large jars! A small vial and syringe were removed, one used to fill the other.

"What's that for?" The younger lab coated man asked. 

"This will temporarily weaken its immune system over the next twelve hours, and should make it more susceptible to the mutagenic 'Daemonite' we've refined. We'll give him the Daemonite tomorrow morning. 

Artemis hissed as the needle was pushed through his skin. 'At least I found the egg.' he thought through the icy pain.

It didn't bring him any comfort.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Akira Hagisaki smiled and rose to greet his daughter. She smiled weakly in return. "Reika! I was beginning to wonder if you forgot where your family lived!" 

"No father, I've been busy."

"So I've heard." He chuckled and glanced at his youngest child. "You get an MBA Taro, and you're sister tops that by becoming a policewoman."   
"Let's hope she isn't here to arrest you." The younger Hagisaki chuckled, standing and kissing his sister on the cheek. "How's my favorite sister doing?"

"Well, I'm not a policewoman, I'm a technical advisor, but it's going well for the most part."

"They aren't giving you any trouble for my sake are they?" The father asked. "I know some of the other Oyabun tease me!" He winked.

"No, though the CAPPA chief of detectives is from the OCTF. He comes visit over lunch and asks 'What's it like being Akira Hagisaki's daughter?'" She shrugged. "Shimaka seems fascinated that you went honest."

"Yes, well, the police are getting to clever! Besides, the organizations making more now then ever and the Americans welcomed our new San Francisco branch with open arms." He didn't mention the Yakuza family over the ocean that tried to demand protection money for the construction crews. It, at least, gave a few of his more aggressive 'children' something to do.

It wouldn't be proper to fire his 'heavies' after years of service after all.

"I'm glad. Unfortunately I'm here to ask for your help on a professional matter." 

"How so?"

"You're on the board for a Biogentec Corporation right?"

"Yes. I have been for some years."

Reika sighed. "The facility just outside of town, we suspect, has a 'Daemon egg' inside of it. This is dangerous due to it's unregistered status since all remains left by Senshi battles are considered hazardous, and we must confirm that nothing dangerous is happening. If they are, you should urge them to inform the proper agencies before the company earns a hefty fine."

"I assume you need me to get you in." Reika nodded, and Akira frowned in thought. "I've been thinking about going and looking around there a bit myself. All their other facilities have fairly detailed reports given to us every month, but the Chairman of the Board is the only one THEY send reports to."

"You're people will come as my staff, undercover I think they call it, and if anything untoward is happening we'll deal with it quietly. That is my requirement for helping."

"I'll talk to my boss. May I give him a call?"

"Of course. I understand the chain of command."

Reika made the call, and absently wondered why he used that turn of phrase.

____________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, bright and early, Akira Hagisaki, accompanied by an undercover Ichiro Hibuki and Luna, stepped up to the gate. Reika and Usagi, who had been brought along just in case there was a problem with the Daemon egg, remained in the car.

"Yes, can I help you?" The guard asked.

"Yes. You can open this gate." Akira replied. "I am Akira Hagisaki and I am on this company's Board of Directors. I wish to see where my money is going since the management of this facility can't file proper reports!"

"Um. I. Uh... Have to call this in sir."

"Fine. When Chairman Hoiki is on the phone, give him to me." 

Hibuki, playing Yakuza Bodyguard for all he was worth, watched as the guard made the call. Minutes later he waved over the three men and offered the phone to Mr. Hagisaki." 

"Hello Soun. Yes I will." The conversation started. "Soun, are you really aware of WHO you are speaking to?"

Hibuki had to respect that veiled threat. If Soun Hoiki didn't know what Hagisaki was he'd eat his badge. "I THOUGHT that would calm you down. Now tell the young man to let us in, or should I call the missus?" Akira smiled, listening. "Good. Here's your phone son."

The guard listened, nodding and hung up after a respectful goodbye "You can park in the reserve lot near the door." He said while lifting the gate. 

"Thank you." Akira Hagisaki said absently returning to his Limo. They drove through the gate and to the doors. 

"Okay people, keep you're eyes open. Usagi you're just here to play Reika's handmaid, so don't do anything silly or nose around. That's OUR job." The hand maid cover was as much for Akira as the scientists inside. 

"Yes Lieutenant Hibuki."

They stepped out of the Limo, Mako sitting behind the wheel waiting in case they needed to leave in a hurry, and followed Akira through the door and past the greeting party waiting inside. "I'm not going to be distracted. Show me the labs!"

Luna was reaching out with barely remembered senses looking for Artemis and gasped when the vague feeling snapped into a clear focus. "Mr. Hagisaki. I suggest this direction."

"Very well, Luna. I trust your judgment. Lead the way." The Oyabun said, curious and surprised, but covering it quickly. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Hurry! A big wig's headed this way!" Artemis, still bleary from what ever they used on him before, groaned as he was pulled out of his cage. He tried to struggle when he saw them fill another vial but they pinned him down easily. 

"No! Stop!" The voice, Luna's came from so far away it seemed. Then the plunger was pushed and the so-called Daemonite was injected. His world burst into pain.

The scientists, screaming in fear and surprise, backed away when Luna and Hibuki pointed guns at them. "You fools! What have you done?" An enraged woman yelled at them, crossing the room and checking her male. "Artemis? Are you o....WHAT!"

She watched in Horror as his body began to shift and grow larger as they watched. One scientist yelled "It worked!" Even as her horror grew. The golden moon on his head was turning black as she watched. "Usagi he needs..." 

A paw slamming into her head silenced her as the Daemon-cat rose, growling.

"Damn it! Run!" Hibuki yelled as it stepped from the table, over Luna, and growled.

AN: And the number one reason you don't experiment on animals? They might mutate and EAT YOU!


	11. Artemis!

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, or any other Anime. The original characters hanging around with those characters are mine though, but if ya use them, just tell me. 

****

Moon Cats

Chapter Ten

"But we can't leave Luna behind!" Usagi yelled, even as Hibuki dragged her out of the lab. Alarms were going off everywhere and Akira was dragging his daughter along with them.

"We can't help them now!" Hibuki yelled. "I'm one cop with a pistol, not the Sailor Senshi!" He was hoping the hysterical girl would get his hint. "Now take Reika and get to the car!" 

Hibuki released her and turned around expecting Artemis-Daemon to be on their heels. Instead he watched the two scientists ducked under a dropping Plexiglas wall. "What's that?"

"It's in case of a containment breach! That's one inch thick ballistic plastic."

"Might slow him down. Is there a command center of some sort in case of emergencies?" 

"Yes."

"Lead us there now!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Inside the lab, Luna groggily woke up, peering around and freezing when her eyes fell on the Daemon who was formerly Artemis. The monster cat was eating lab mice like candy, the barely hand-like paw scooping them from a flipped over cage like popcorn. 

"Hello... Luunna." It's strange, deep voice said. "Awake noww?"

"Yes Artemis." She rose, blinking in surprise when she realized she had reverted to cat form. "What's going on Artemis?"

"Thinking..." The monster cat said. "Have snack... Killll..."

"No Artemis, you don't want to kill!"

"Yes. Mans do this. Will Killl..."

Luna concentrated, and shifted to her human form. She slipped her skirt and blouse back on quickly. "They'll pay Artemis, but you can't kill them. You aren't a monster."

"IS MONSTER!" He screamed. "Make pay! Make all pay!" The angry creature grabbed the refrigerator and ripped it open, pulling out a dozen or more syringes. Grabbing the rats, he strode to the lab door, and one by one injected each little white rat and threw them out the door. "All Pay!"

____________________________________________________________________________________

"The others will be here in a few minutes." Usagi said. "I need to find someplace to hide and change in though!"

"Try over there." Reika pointed at a group of vans with the company logo on the sides at the end of the parking lot. "Do it between them." The crowd of fleeing scientists and other folk weren't going anywhere near them.

"Sounds good. You can be my look out, so come on."

The two girls ran over, and quickly reached the vans. "Moon Prism Power!" Usagi yelled, changing into her alternate persona, Sailor Moon. "I'm going to go wait on the roof. You stay here, okay!"

"Just go, I'll be fine!" She watched as Usagi bounced away, sighing. 

___________________________________________________________________________

Hibuki and Akira Hagisaki burst into the facilities control room. The police Lieutenant scanned the monitors from several cameras while Akira silenced the facilities director with a glare. 

"What is he throwing?" Hibuki asked, pointing at the screen showing Artemis-daemon at the lab door.

"Looks like lab mice." The security guard at the monitor said. "But they look like they're growing!"

Hagisaki growled, and nodded. "That cat's injecting them with what he got. I wonder how he knew what to do."

"Cats are far cleverer then most people give them credit for." Hibuki muttered. "But by my count we have twenty-four daemon rats in addition to the cat-daemon and they are spreading throughout that area."

"There is Plexiglas partitions sealing them in that wing. The fire doors are also all now locked and sealed in their own plexi partitions. They aren't getting out of there any time soon."

"I suggest you both look at monitor six then." The Oyabun said. All eyes in the room turned to look, and several people gasped at the cracks one rat had put in the main hallways partition.

"Not soon is a bit closer then we hoped." Hagisaki muttered. "I assume the building is evacuated in situations like this?"

"Yes. Other then us, of course." The administrator replied, staring at the screen. "Oh god, two more are joining him."

"Right. Get you're people out, I'm going to make sure no one's still in the building." Hibuki said, unholstering his gun. "Hagisaki, you're daughters already has probably already done it, but get in touch with my people. I'm sorry but this facility is definitely now under my jurisdiction."

"I assume it isn't going to be kept quiet." The yakuza leader shrugged. "Oh well. Do what you have to do. Let us leave gentlemen."

Hibuki scanned the monitors, just in time to see the rats get the start of a hole in the ballistic plastic wall. "I'd better get moving."

___________________________________________________________________________________

"A... Artemis! What are you thinking?" Luna asked, backed into a corner by the monster cat.

"Luna Pretty." He replied. Luna looked into his eyes and started to get even more worried, ignoring the paw-hand caressing her cheek. The burning intelligence that usually filled his eyes was fading while madness seemed to be filling its former space.

She gasped when his touches got a little to personal and roughly shoved him, her astounding strength only moving him a step back.

"Grahhh!" The monster bellowed, driving a fist into the wall inches beside her head, causing her to scream in terror. She closed her eyes expecting him to hit HER next, and didn't see her crescent flare with light, or the beam of energy that slammed Artemis across the room. 

Opening her eyes, she collapsed to her knees crying. "Oh Artemis!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Hibuki ran through the lab facilities halls, kicking open any doors he came to looking for stragglers. He paused when he heard a strange squeal behind him, and slowly turned."

A white rat horribly mutated with canine teeth and over two feet long before it's tail, stood growling at him. "Oh hell." He cursed as the rat leapt at him.

Swinging his arms up lightning fast, the cop fired three times, creating three holes into the rat's body. The shock of the bullets hitting caused the now dead rat to land at his feet instead of on top of him. 

"Did you guys hear that?" A feminine voice yelled, and the sound of running feet approached him. "Hibuki! Are you okay?" Usagi, aka Sailor Moon, asked when the inner scouts rounded the corner.

"Oh my god that isn't Artemis is it? Sailor Venus asked eyes already filling with tears. 

"No, the cat started injecting rats." Hibuki replied. "We have about twenty-three left now."

The Senshi nodded all of the frowning. Sailor Mercury had already been typing on her Mercury computer. "Most seem to be in a large room to the south, from the presence of refrigeration units and steam tables it's likely a cafeteria."

"Right. Food." Hibuki nodded. "First priority is getting to Luna. I have no idea how to deal with Artemis though."

"I'll get him." Sailor moon said confidently. "One Moon Healing and he'll be back to his old self."

"Sounds good. Mercury, how clear is the path to them?"

"We have one pack of four rats we have to fight through I think. Other then that, it's clear."

"Let's move then girls." The eclectic group of hero's started jogging down the halls, Hibuki changing clips as they ran. 

The sailors plus one ran around a corner and slid to a stop. Three rats, as Mercury had predicted, were there, gnawing on the body of a woman. "Damn it!" Hibuki yelled, bringing his gun up and emptying several rounds into one of the monstrous rodents. 

The loud shots seemed to shake the Senshi out of their horror. Sailor Mars and Jupiter followed his lead, pumping electricity and fire into the remaining two rats while Venus ran to the woman and pulled her away. "She's not dead! They were..."

"Minako!" Hibuki interrupted the signs of hysterics the girl was showing. "You've seen bad things before! You and Jupiter get her out to some help now!" Both girls nodded, Venus a bit dizzily and Jupiter carrying the woman.

"Why'd you send both? Any of us can carry a person alone." Mercury asked.

Hibuki started running again. "Jupiter is the only one big enough to carry both if Venus faints." He didn't mention that he could have too. He was going to see this through and get all his people out. 

They soon after reached the lab door and rushed in, only to find Luna standing, looking at the remains of a refrigerator with Artemis-Daemon out cold across the room.

"Some rescue. You knocked him out already!" Hibuki muttered, through his relief. 

"Yes, well I grew impatient. Mars, come here and take these." Luna held up the two clear containers with Daemon eggs inside of them. "I think it's safe to say this is evidence now?"

"Oh ye..." A rat burst through the doors, landing on Hibuki's back, forcing him to the floor on his stomach. 

"Moon Tiara Magic!" Sailor Moon yelled, throwing the very accurate spinning disk into the monster, all the hero's sighing as it flew off the cop dead.

The Artemis-Daemon used the distraction to quit playing opossum, and knocked Luna away from the fridge, grabbing two vials from the shelves. 

"Revenge!" He yelled, throwing them into a sand filled aquarium, only instants before a beam of healing energy hit him. They all watched as Sailor Moons "Healing Activation" caused him to shrink, returning to his normal cat size. 

Luna bent and picked him up. "I wonder what he thought..." She gasped as she saw the sand start to boil, and rope thick worms began to appear on the surface. "Run!"

The group fled rapidly from the lab, heading for the exit. The sound of something howling and glass cracking followed them out. 

What's happening?" Akira demanded, standing near the front door next to the scientists who had injected Artemis, Mako standing calmly, and dangerously, behind them. They both yelled in surprise when Hibuki grabbed the scientists.

"How many worms were in your lab?"

"About sixty? Why?"

The shattering of a window, and the disgusting fanged maw of a monster waving through it with a devil rat clutched in the jaws, was the answer he got. "We need the damn self-defense force out here!"

"Maybe not." Sailor Moon, a very ANGRY Sailor Moon, waved Sailor Saturn away from the injured where the other outers were standing guard. "Do it."

The crowd, especially those who knew her, blinked in shock. She frowned. "Do you remember that American film _Tremors?_" Saturn nodded. "Want to live it?  
"Everyone stand back." The shorter girl said, hefting the silence glaive. 

"Wait! You can't!" The facility administrator yelled.

Akira Hagisaki grabbed the facility director by his throat. "I, for the board of directors, REQUEST you destroy it all, Ms. Saturn. Leave no stone standing atop another. Immediately."

Saturn nodded, focused her energy, and yelled "Silence Glaive Surprise!"

The silence was deafening, and the destruction was complete.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Was this really required, Hibuki?" The police commissioner demanded, staring at the huge gash of destruction that was once a laboratory.

"It was done by the Senshi with the request of a high ranking company representative. I was just investigating a rumor with the assistance of said representative."

"Akira Hagisaki?"

"Yeah." The lieutenant shrugged. "Seems the Oyabun wants his legal businesses very legal. Go figure."

"Fine, but try to cut down on property damage in the future."

____________________________________________________________________________________

"HOW could you be so stupid?"

"Sorry Luna."

"And how could you let yourself get caught like that?"

"Sorry Reika."

"And why didn't you tell ME about it?"

"I'm sorry Luna. I..."

"Or Hibuki!" 

"Reika, it's just..." 

"And then there's the chain of command..." 

"Aw come on Hibuki! I already apologized!" 

Shimaka, who had walked into the room intending to ask a question, backed out silently, shutting the door. "Note to self, pray for Artemis.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Yes Akuma?" Adrian asked, walking into his Lab.

"I got what you asked for, and just in time to! The Senshi destroyed the place the next day." Akuma Hagisaki said, holding up a sealed container marked [Daemonite v55-3]. "I'd love to know how you found out about this stuff. I saw its effects, it is weird."

"Yes, well Neptune Data Systems hears much, my friend. And we don't NEED the Internet to do it."

Both men laughed, even as Adrian prepared four vials on the table surrounding the four tubes dominating the center of his lab. "This does speed things up a little, though."

AN: Sorry this took so long. I've got this, and several more chapters of several stories written, but I haven't gotten to typing them in recently. Sorry.


	12. History

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, though I think more then half of the characters in this series are actually original to me. Use them if you wanna though, I don't mind.

**** __

One Year Ago:

The Cargo hold was filling with smoke, even as the flames spread from the Gaki's discarded coat. Artemis had his back to barrels while he watched the assassin who was glaring at him from some distance off. Both were bleeding from many wounds from the battle on the ship's deck and the fall through the gasoline fire into the cargo hold. Both the human and the Man-Cats noses burned with the stench of burning petroleum, and both limped now, both tired but neither ready to give up.

Artemis blinked, his eye caught by the red warning label on one barrel, spared one instant to look away from the Gaki. 'Ether! We are fighting in a BOMB!"

That moment of inattention almost killed him, as the Gaki's knife swung in for his throat. The cat, catching the flash of steel out of the corner of one eye blocked with leather sheathed arm, screaming as the blade bit through the leather, cutting a shallow but long line of blood from his arm. The Gaki's body followed, and as had happened to the assassin so many times, Artemis found himself beneath the man, grappling with the knife even as his injured but still fighting fist pummeled the cats chest and stomach.

"This place is going to explode! We have to get OUT!" Artemis yelled, between grunts of pain.

"To bad! I suppose you'll only lead me into hell by a few instants!" The crazed assassin screamed forcing the knife blade against the cat's throat, a small trickle of blood escaping the shallow nick.

Artemis growled and yelled all at once. Closing his eyes he looked for the strength to push the man off of him. His closed eyes meant that only the Gaki got to see the moon on his forehead glow blindingly silver, instead of its normal gold. Then an implacable wall of force slammed into the killer, and drove him into the bulkhead across the hold.

Artemis opened his eyes, not having any idea how he had thrown the man so far away, and not even caring. Seeing the Gaki stumble to his feet, wiping blood from his lips, he made a decision. "Later Looser!" He yelled, then jumped with his thick, feline like legs, landing on top of the Pyramid of explosive liquid, then jumping from them in a display only a cat could give to catch the ladder and scramble free of the cargo hold.

"GET BACK HERE CAT!" The Gaki yelled, running to the ladder, not realizing the barrels had started to topple, nor that he was in the path of the top most drum's fall until it hit him, and the flames at his feet.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Artemis gasped for breath, stumbling as the first small explosion rocked the ship. "Just a few more steps...just a few more..." He chanted to himself as he ran. Then reaching the rail surrounding the ships deck he leapt over the side into the storm tossed ocean. The next several minutes were filled with the sounds of explosions and the orange haze of a fire. He couldn't figure out how he finally made it to sure, or how Luna, in her human form, found him.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Gaki screamed in pain as he dragged himself out of the water, the gray light of false dawn finally fading the surreal effects of the police lights on the dock. The pain of the burns covering his body drove all logic from his mind, but the chilling cold waters of the Pacific Ocean numbed the effects enough for him to drag himself onto the concrete shore of a pleasure boaters marina. Using the last of his strength he pulled a cell phone free of his coat, and pushed its power, gasping more then sighing in relief when the abused device worked. "I need a pick up... Yeah, where we planned it for last night." 

He was still conscious when the black van with the only member of his team not on the ship pulled up, and the younger man pulled him into the van. He remained awake long enough to give him a name and address before finally fading from consciousness. 

It wasn't until he regained consciousness several days later that he discovered the loss of both his legs.

****

Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Eleven

__

The Present:****

Artemis Groaned as he pulled himself up off the mats, dusting off the Gi pants covering his currently human legs. He glared at the older man across the mat from him, who just returned the look with a smirk. "Damn it Hibuki. You know this isn't my natural form. Couldn't you take it a little easier on me?"

"You're the one who asked me to train you in hand to hand combat, kitty-cat. Don't blame me if you get a little bruised now and again." The leader of CAPPA, the Central Administrative Police Preternatural Agency, replied. "What the heck inspired this, anyway? I swear I don't know how you took the Gaki, you stink!"

Artemis managed to hide his flinch at the assassin's name. "Way to be supportive, boss. What's next, you gonna kick me when I'm down?"

"That's not for a few lessons yet."

"Gee, thanks."

The chuckle of a female voice broke into the conversation, and both men turned to see the most important woman in their lives. Granted, it was for different reasons, but Luna "Tsukino" basically stood as the stable center of both men's universe as both the 'Administrative Assistant' to Lt. Ichiro Hibuki and as the sometimes confusing Significant Other to CAPPA's sometimes human second in command. "Lieutenant, there is a phone call for you. It seems that the Mad Graffiti Artist we've been hearing about on the news has been captured." 

"That's good, he painted a big mural of seahorses at play in pastels on my favorite restaurant last week, but why is someone calling me about it."

"Seems that it's a robot, Sir."

Both men blinked, and then the older man looked at Artemis. "Does that actually qualify as Preternatural?"

"I think Preternatural means 'Anything Strange enough to inspire a call' boss. Remember the rookie that brought that Albino Pickpocket to us? I'm still dealing with paperwork from that one."

Hibuki shrugged. "You're the one who put him in a holding cell with someone claiming to be infected with a Daemon egg. You'd think of all people YOU'D know better."

"I thought he was just nuts! How was I supposed to know it was dormant!"

"You just better be happy that was a day that Usagi was working."

"Yeah, yeah.. Well I scan everyone else since then don't I? And it wasn't like he was hurt...just drained. I guarantee you he'll never pick another pocket."

Hibuki chuckled. "Lead me on to the phone Luna. Let's find out what we have to deal with now."  
The white haired man watched the other two leave, then sighed and looked into the mirrors. The bags under his eyes were barely hidden by the disguise pen, which Luna more then likely had forgotten completely about by now. Both cats had gathered a rather respectable collection of clothing for every occasion and didn't really need the device anymore, but he'd been using it to conceal the signs of lack of sleep from his somewhat girlfriend and co-workers. The dream, the images of the final battle with the Gaki, had been coming back to him recently and he didn't know why. All he knew was between the images and the knowledge that he had killed the man, no matter how much he had deserved it, was keeping him from sleep. He tried to shake off the sense of foreboding that seemed to fill him whenever he wasn't keeping himself busy and headed to the small gyms showers. "Guess I'll tackle some reports then." 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"How much longer!" The Gaki demanded, glaring at the young man, really little more then a teenager, bent over a worktable. 

"I don't know! You're asking me to build robotics beyond what anyone has ever designed before!"

"Yes, I am...and that robot you tried to get help with really was a wonder of technology." The Gaki pulled a nine-millimeter from the holster mounted on the arm of his wheelchair. "It took three rounds and kept going. Lucky for you that it didn't get any messages out... Though I did like the lovely painting of a naked woman it did on the Sony building. Very artistic, Arturo."

Arturo Uamasai slumped in his office chair, and groaned. "I finished some of the other... Devices you wanted."

"Good." The Gaki growled evil pleasure in his voice. "I assume you made them as easy to program as I asked?"

"Of course. I'm too much of a coward to do otherwise."

"Good of you to remember that, Arturo. Very good." The Gaki laughed. It was not a joyful sound.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Man, are you sure we can't borrow that think? CAPPA HQ does still need some remodeling, after all."

"No Artemis, I don't think they'll let us." Hibuki muttered, looking through the now multi-colored bars of the 12th precinct holding cell. "They still aren't sure rather they should book this thing as a suspect, or lock it up as evidence."

The white haired man nodded, slipping a hand into a coat pocket to grab what looked for all the world like a small PDA. He tapped the screen a few times, and the spider like robot they were observing shut off, its meter long and wide frame clattering to the floor like a puppet with its string cut. "Evidence I'd say. It's AI is pretty sweet, but it's not self aware."

"Nice to know. What else does that magic box tell you?" 

Artemis shrugged, slipping the so-called 'Artemis Computer' Back into his pocket. "There's some damage to its memory, and it's using mostly back up processors. I can't guess as to what caused the damage without looking it over, but now that it's off that should be easy."

"How do we explain it turning off suddenly?"

Artemis chuckled. "It's amazing what the Tazer that the camera just saw me use can do. Took it out in one shot."

"Nice." Hibuki nodded. "Guard! Come here and open the cell."

Less then two minutes later both men were looking over the robot, and had found the damage. "These look like bullet holes to you too?" Artemis asked.

"Oh yeah, and the cops who grabbed this thing weren't packing." Hibuki replied. "They just grabbed the thing while it was painting a sidewalk. It didn't even fight, just kept flailing around."

Artemis looked over the robot. It's ten legs brought to mind a crab or a spider, an image added to by the fact that it had demonstrated an ability to climb walls or even the ceiling. In spite of that impression, Artemis saw nothing that even remotely made him think of weaponry. "Maybe it was painting some Yakuza's car?"

"Maybe." Hibuki muttered. "Either way, I think this case just got ugly. Call Luna and tell her we're going to need one of the basement labs cleaned out, and get her to see if Ami can skip Juku tonight. She's the only person on even our staff who I think can figure this one out."

"Sure boss." Artemis reached for his cell phone, but paused. "Ichiro... I've got a bad feeling about this one for some reason."

"So do I, cat. So do I."

Authors Notes: I'm BAACK! Sorry for the long delays between chapters, and sorry for the short one. I've just been busy, and life's been hectic, and I'm even trying to write actual original fiction novels to boot. However I am back and will be back to write more for you Fans of the Moon Cats Saga. 

Ironically it shouldn't even be a Saga. I wrote the first chapter of the original Moon Cats, or "When the Senshi are Away, the Cats will Play" as a ONE SHOT story. That one went something like eleven chapters. Now I'm on chapter eleven of the third in the series, and I'm no where near what looks like a stopping point. Ironic eh?


	13. Success, and it's cost

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. There are Characters in here that are my original idea however, so if you wanna use them, ask. I'll say yes, cause I wanna read more with them! Come on... someone take me up on this!

Heh, couldn't resist.

****

Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry

Chapter 12

"Heave!" Hibuki cried, and with one last effort he, Artemis, Mamoru, and Detective Shimaka deposited the robot painter on the heavy steel table in the center of CAPPA's lab number two. The room had started off it's life as a bomb shelter in World War Two, and had been converted by the more "Knowledgeable" members of his staff into the secure lab for both the technology and magic the division might have to deal with. 

"You're right Artemis, this is more interesting then school." Ami Mizuno was ecstatic. "Why, this is a wonderfully designed machine!"

"Wonderfully heavy." Mamoru grumbled. "You'll be okay working alone?"

"Sure. If Artemis's computer can freeze it, It'll be no match for mine." She winked at the human cat. "No offense to your computer."

"None taken. I'm happy with it as it is. After all, it still runs Tetris." 

Hibuki spoke up. "First thing I need you to do, if you can, are the bullets. I've got a buddy in forensics that might be able to tell us who shot it."

"Yes sir."

"Gentlemen, let's leave her to her work. God knows we won't understand anything she does." He led the officers out, shutting the door on the sound of a power drill. "Artemis, Hiroshi, come with me. Thanks for the hand Mamoru."

"No problem."

Hibuki led his two senior investigators to his office, and after offering them seat's he settled behind his desk. "I've read your six-month division reports and I have to say, I'm impressed! You have done more then anyone... Other then Luna at least... to get this task force off the ground. That being said, I have some good news, and some bad news." The older man grinned. "Which do you want first?"

"Bad news." Both men said, in unison.

"Cute." Hibuki chuckled. "The bad news is, due to the recent increase in unusual events in Tokyo, and my quote 'Skilled handling of both the organization and investigations under my control' have been promoted to Captain."

"Congratulations!" Artemis smiled.

"Better you then me." Hiroshi chuckled.

"Really? It's ironic you should say that." The leader of CAPPA reached into his drawer, and pulled out two gold badges, tossing them to the other men. "Since I refused to go down alone, you get promotions too. Don't grimace Arty! It took a lot of energy to stick you with... I mean reward your diligence with Lieutenants credentials."

"Now, along with these, and a few other promotions, we're getting a twenty- percent manpower increase in our sworn officers, and more funding."

"And that'll be the good news I take it?" Artemis said more then asked.

"Yep. The other major promotion I got is for Maya Shin. She's getting Lieutenant bars, and I'm putting her in charge of a six-man rapid response team. That youma pair that hit last month, the one's who separated before the scouts caught up to them, caused a lot of damage. The girls got them, and no one was seriously injured, but I'd like for our esteemed Sailor Senshi to NOT be our last and only line of defense. We can at least TRY to help them."

"Our own SWAT team? Nice." Shimaka whistled.

"Yeah." Artemis agreed.

Hibuki nodded. "I think Sailor Moon will be happy to hear about it."

Now as for you, my lofty Lieutenant minions..." Hibuki grinned. "Get some uniforms together and get the third floor of this rat tap cleaned up, like I asked you to months ago. You'll need your own offices." He chuckled as they groaned. Being a captain wasn't all that different from being a father, after all. "Just so you know, officially Shimaka's in charge of our investigative resources while you, Mr. Yui are technically in charge of our technical staff. Unofficially, I'm leaving things the way they are. it works for us after all."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Luna chuckled at Artemis's slump when he left the Lieutenants... no, Captains office. "I don't see why you are so annoyed. I seem to remember you holding other ranks in the past, Lord Commander." 

Artemis grumbled. "Yeah, didn't like that either, when Queen Serenity stuck that on me."

The black haired cat-woman laughed then held up Artemis's cell phone. "You got a call, but as usual you left your phone in your desk. Who ever it was they left a voice mail."

"Thanks. Who was it?"

"I don't know. The caller ID didn't recognize the number."

He shrugged, and hit the message button. Then he lifted it to his ear. "Probably a lady admirer."

"You wish, Casanova." She chuckled, but stopped as the white haired cat-man's face went pale. "What's wrong?"

His reply was the cracking of plastic as the phone crumpled in his hand. He was out the front doors before Luna could even stand to give chase.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Gaki closed the cheap, pay as you go cell phone and tossed it into the trashcan next to his car's parking spot. "So, cat. Let's see if you play by the rules."

His laugh caused several pedestrians to walk widely around his black Lexus. 

AN: I keep seeming to get busy and not coming back for weeks at a time. I'm sorry folks. Hope you like this chapter.

As for those wondering about the rapid promotions, here's my explanation (Aside from this is fiction.) CAPPA, in it's short time operating, has solved a major serial crime, several minor cases, and have assisted in several cases that aren't their problems without demanding more then limited credit for them. All of these are good with inter-departmental and inter-0ffice politics. Throw in the amount of clout they had with the Commish to start with, and the political clout they inadvertently gained with Hagisaki-Oyabun's vague patronage. (After all, a Mafia boss has to look out after his little girl and her friends.. And they aren't exactly a problem for him since he went mostly straight.)


	14. The Gaki Returns!

Disclaimer: If you look carefully, I bet you'll find stuff I don't own in this story. Since I'm not getting paid for any of it, I suppose that's okay then. Thanks for noticing though.

****

Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry. 

Chapter 13

Artemis pulled his department car into the limited parking out of the Juban "Old Time" Deli. Climbing out, he looked around as though he expected an attack before he could even take a step onto the sidewalk. Seeing no ninja's in the mid-day crowd he strode purposefully for the door and entered.

Absently he wondered if he looked like as much of an American Western actor as he felt, with his long duster and his green eyes scanning the room like Clint Eastwood. Considering who he was looking for it seemed like an apt comparison. Unfortunately the dim lighting of the restaurant after the bright sunlight outside left him essentially blind. He needn't have worried. 

His lunch companion waved, wanting to be found. "Over here my... good friend." The Gaki called from a corner table, for all the world like he was greeting an old friend.

Artemis growled and stalked forward, only to freeze when he got a good look at his enemy. "Like it? I'm told that it's one of the best wheelchairs on the market." The Gaki almost purred, causing the Moon Cat to frown in response. "It is comfortable, though I'd prefer not to require it. But enough about such unpleasantness. Sit! Tell me, how is Luna?"

Artemis sat, reluctantly, and growled softly so only the former assassin could hear him. "What are you playing at?"

Gaki chuckled, his smile if anything growing wider. "Why, didn't you know, my fine Neko-Jin friend? You are the only creature to ever beat me!" He replied just as softly. "I figured lunch would be a small but suitable reward."

"Maybe I oughta just take you in. That'll be reward enough for me."

"Tsk, Tsk, Artemis. You know me better then that." The crippled man opened his left hand, showing Artemis a small box with a softly glowing button, his thumb poised over it. "Try that and we all go to the next world in a most spectacular way."

Artemis's eyes darted around the crowded dinning room. "You wouldn't kill yourself."

Gaki's smile went cold. "Thirty drums of ether and our last meeting suggest differently." He closed his hand and chuckled. "But it would be a shame to miss my Ruben. This is a wonderful little shop, and it has fine corned beef considering we're in Japan. So, again, how is Luna?"

"She's fine." Artemis answered. He couldn't believe the creature in front of him actually meant to sit and act like was actually eating with a friend!

"I hear she's the director of CAPPA's personal secretary. She already has one heck of a reputation at city hall, or so my sources say." Gaki chuckled. "But that's nothing compared to you! A Lieutenant with the Tokyo PD."

"How'd you know that?"

"Friends Arty my boy. I've got lots of them." The conversation paused when a waitress brought Gaki's sandwich. When she left he spoke again. "I've been paying attention to you since I found out my legs were never going to work again. Your career, your life, you fucking dates! All while I lay helpless in a hospital bed."

"That was your choice, you bastard. You earned this."

"I EARNED death, cat boy!" Gaki hissed with rage. "I never suffered any illusions as to what I was. I knew that someday there'd be some one faster, and that I'd die at their hands! I welcomed and reveled in it." The assassin gestured at his dead legs. "Instead you leave me like this!"

"I'll finish you off now if you prefer." The white haired man growled, with a dark smile.

"No, I think we'll do this differently." Gaki said, suddenly back to being cheerful. He paused to take a one handed bite from his sandwich. "Good stuff. Anyway, back to the subject."

The assassin met the Moon Cat's eyes. "In three days I intend to start a wave of destruction on one of this city, and I don't intend to stop until I hit the other." He took another bite of his sandwich. "That is, unless your CAPPA can catch me and my men first." 

"Just makes me think trying to take you out now might be worth the risks."

The Gaki sighed, for all the world like a disappointed parent, and clenched down on the box in his hand. "Well, now the trigger's armed." He chuckled. "I do love dead mans switches." He touched the stick of his electric wheelchair, turning towards the exit. "It's in the men's bathroom. If you're quick you might disarm it before the bomb fires. Good bye pussycat." 

Artemis dove out of his chair and towards the bathrooms. By the time he found the stuffed white tiger with a noose and note reading "Oops, I forgot my bomb." Around it's neck, the assassin was gone.

___________________________________________________________________________________

"What do you MEAN he called you?" Hibuki yelled loud enough to shake the pictures on his office wall. Artemis winced at the yell and the looks both Shimaka and Luna were giving him.

"He said that if I didn't come alone he'd blow up a damn daycare! You all know this guy, I believed him and I know you wouldn't have let me go alone... especially since he wanted me to come right then!"

"Damn right!" Hibuki declared, then sat down. "On both counts. I believe he'd do it too. That, however, is no excuse for not informing anyone."

"I didn't see any other way."

Shimaka coughed, and interrupted. "We all agree that Artemis screwed up. Now let's move on to something constructive okay? What did he say?"

"Well, other then teasing me..."

"Teasing you?"

"Yes Luna, teasing. He ate a damn sandwich while telling me how much he knew about us... All of us!" Artemis yelled. "And he said that if we don't find him and stop him in three days time, he'd start killing people from one end of this town to the other."

That silenced the room for a second. Finally Luna spoke again. "You're kidding! I thought you said he was in a wheel chair."

"No, I'm not kidding."

"What, exactly, did he say?" Hibuki asked, calmer and frightened all at once. 

"I don't remember verbatim. Moon Cat's aren't known for their memories. He did say he and his men, so obviously he's got help. Other then that I got nothing useful I can think of."

A knock on the door interrupted them. "Come in!" Hibuki yelled.

Ami entered, grease on her nose. "Captain, I finally got the cover off our robot..."

"Good work, but that needs to wait Ms. Mizuno. We've got bigger fish to fry."

"Actually sir, there's something you need to see."

"It can wait!" Ami took a step back from the yell, but didn't automatically leave. Luna realized instantly how unusual that was. 

She also noticed the greasy piece of paper in her hand. "Ami-chan, what's that in your hand?"

"A note. I found it... In the painter." Ami paused, settled herself, and stepped forward. "And I think you need to read it sir. Now."

Hibuki frowned but took the note. His expression shifted from annoyance to horror quickly.

"Help." He read out loud. "A man in a wheelchair and his goons have taken me hostage. He's forcing me to build him armed robots! Please save me! Please stop him!" Hibuki looked at Artemis "Sound right?"

"Yes."

"Then good news. It's even got an address. 

AN: So do you all still hate Gaki? For those who don't know who he is read "When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play" The first in the Moon Cat's Saga. Damn, I guess it really is a saga by now. Oh, and just cause I couldn't help myself. 

Omake, Omake...

Sasuke muttered as the white haired man bumped right into him without apologizing, before walking into the deli. "No one has manners these days. Oh well, might as well get these pictures of Akane Tendo to Master Kuno." With that the little Ninja hurried off down the street.

Hey, if they're ninja's you SHOULDN'T see them!


	15. Ether

Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry

Chapter Fourteen

"Team one, two, and three, check in." The new Captain Hibuki spoke calmly into his headset, the tension running through his body showing nowhere in his voice. His left hand was resting on the white haired cat-man, even Hibuki himself not sure if it was to comfort his friend or to hold him back. Neither men were trained for what was about to take place.

_"This is one, Ready to go."_

"Three, in position."

"We'll be in position in thirty seconds. Two out."

He nodded absently, fully aware that they couldn't see him. Turning to the tactical gear bearing man standing next to him he asked. "Now this is very likely a trap, are your men aware of that Captain Arasaka?"

"Yes, and they aren't real happy about it, but the Gaki has a reputation worth the risk. If that psycho is still running around, even in a wheel chair, he needs to go down. They're up to the challenge."

"Never doubted it Heero, but I hate sending men in without me. I'll never get used to it."

"That's cause your a real cop." The SWAT Captain paused as team two's point man gave confirmation of being in position. "They are ready, on your command."

Hibuki and Artemis looked each other in the eye, and nodded in unison. "Tell them to go now."

"Go! Go! Go!" The sound of ten pound sledgehammers slamming into fire doors reached even around the buildings the tactical vehicles were hidden behind, and the stun grenades weren't exactly made quiet by the muffling. Ten seconds, then thirty went by after that with no sounds.

"Site secure, site secure. We need EMS in here now!" Came over the radio's after one minute of operation, and apparently spelled the end of Artemis's patience. The moon cat jumped out of the back of the tactical van, his long coat flowing behind him in the wind of his passing, forcing a cursing Hibuki to catch up to him.

"Damn it Artemis, this is the SWAT guy's party!"

Artemis grunted, glaring at the warehouse he was running towards darkly. Both expression and dark sound were generally not normal for the white haired neko-jin. "If the Gaki was here, they'd be dead Hibuki. He figured out we were coming and moved!"

"They could be calling EMS because they got him!"

Artemis's answer was to shove open the dented door, and to freeze only a few steps in. Hibuki ran into him in surprise, then froze himself.

A young, bespeckled man was hanging from a rope, his fingertips brushing the floor and two obvious bullet wounds in his stomach. Only the two SWAT men cutting him down suggested there was even a chance he was still alive. "What the hell is this!"

"This was addressed to you sir. Well, actually to Lieutenant (Artemis's last name). It was umm...stuck to the victim."

"Is he dead?" Artemis asked, not touching the blood soaked envelope.

"No sir, but the paramedics are demanding clearance from Captain Arasaka before coming in. If you'll excuse me." The officer handed the plastic bag sealed envelope to Artemis, and vanished out the door.

Artemis watched the SWAT man vanish, then looked down at the sealed letter. It was hand written, somehow that struck the cat as significant, with his name in bold script at the top. He started reading, ignoring the rushed entrance of the paramedics.

Artemis, My "Friend"

I first must thank you for a lovely lunch. I find the reports from my man to be well worth my time in entertainment value alone, though he did tell me that the bathrooms door and sink might never be the same again. I admit, it was a cruel joke and a bit of a low conceit on my part but I found myself unable to resist.

Now, to more urgent business. If you are reading this, and I know you are, you found my little hideout and my scientist friend. He really should have known better then to try to get help, even though I did let him do it to draw you in. Either way, he has already served my purpose, providing not only myself, but my men with nothing less then battle suits, mecha capable of holding off a sizable force of JSDF! You've seen the robot he sent to get his "Help" and you know he's more then capable of building such things. I do not lie when I say I almost regret that I am about to shoot him, since he is as much an artist as an engineer.

Sadly, that is life.

My men shall use these mecha, starting twenty-four hours after you find this letter, to attack the city of Tokyo it's self. Strategic sites, heavily populated sites, and even one hospital is on their list of targets and your KAPPA team isn't going to be able to stop them! This is my revenge Moon Cat. The Tokyo your little protégé's have managed to defend from magical monsters for so long are going to get to watch the city burn in technological fire because of their mentor's enemies. The death will be on your heads, and they'll know it!

Well, I must be shipping out soon since you can only be hours away from finding this place.

Respectfully yours,

The Gaki

PS: If your wondering how I'll know you found the letter, note the large barrels in the corner, and the paramedics lifting my engineer friend from his perch. I knew you wouldn't leave (Or be kept out of coming for me) before reading, and Ether is so flammable, if you recall!

Artemis's eyes flew open, and he looked up seeing one of the paramedics beginning to cut the man down. "No! STOP!"

It was to late, the moon cat's ears hearing the click, and eyes catching a falling object plummeting from the ceiling to the unmarked barrels lining the walls.

The Gaki sighed as the blossom of flame burst over the northern skyline of Tokyo, satisfied and depressed just the same. Part of him had hopped that Artemis wouldn't have fallen for his trap, that he'd have stayed out of the building till the end, but he knew he wouldn't. "Ah well, he was a worthy opponent while he lasted. Continue on Yasuke, we have an appointment to keep."

The thug pushed his boss's chair towards the elevators of Tokyo Towers observation deck. He was well trained, and desired survival enough, to not ask why they were in such a hurry to get to Juban High School.

Authors Notes: First off, Yes I'm back, and while I might be rusty and I might be slow (And this might have been short and somewhat clumsy) I plan on picking up this story, and all the others I'd been working on. Work got hectic as hell, and life didn't really decide to stay calm away from work...but since it seems to be stabilizing now, I really do think I'm back.

No, really...I mean it this time!

I also know it's a little short. To be honest I got a bit of writers block on this story line, and kind of hit a "Okay, move forward, damn the torpedo's, and get to the part that you CAN write. That's where I was and now it will be much easier to write.

ShadoeFox


	16. Painful Discoveries

Disclaimer: Okay, fine, Sheesh, I know I forgot it the last time. I don't own Sailor Moon. I also don't own much of anything else for that matter. Happy! Good. Now if your done crushing my self esteem Ami, could you fix my durn network router! Thanks.

Moon Cats; Fearful Symmetry

Chapter 15

"Luna, you've been even more like a mother hen since you figured out you could be human!" Usagi complained, glaring at her advisor as they walked off the Juban high school campus. "How'd you even find out I had detention, anyway. You were at work!"

"Yes, and Ami came in without you. She kinda had to tell me why."

"Yeah, well it's not my fault! We had to chase that weird youma through town all night last night. Stupid thing ran at like, a hundred kilometers an hour! I was exhausted."

"Ami didn't fall asleep in class."

"Ami prefers school to sleep. I think it IS how she sleeps!"

Luna shook her head, hiding a grin. "Makoto stayed awake."

"Because there's a new guy in class, who looks just like her old boyfriend."

"Really now?" Luna asked, temporarily entertaining concerns that this new boy might be a new enemy. She shrugged it away after a moment, since not EVERY new student could be evil. "Minako even managed to stay awake."

"Um, no she didn't. She sits behind Amy. She woke up when I yelped after getting hit with an eraser! If it wasn't for her better… Strategic position, she'd have been caught too!"

"I'll have to talk to her about this as well, then." Luna nodded as though making a decision. The fact that she was only here picking Usagi up was a coincidence would only be revealed later, after she had her fun. Cats, especially Moon Cats, had to have their malicious fun from time to time.

"By the way, did you at least get a decent grade on that science exam? You of all people should know the solar system…"

"Luna, it's been to long."

Usagi, who for a change had been about to brag about a grade, looked behind her in confusion when Luna froze, stiff as a board mid stride. The man behind them, scarred and in a wheel chair. He was all together creepy, but completely unfamiliar to her.

"Ah, and you must be Usagi Tsukino, the real one. Or should I say Sailor Moon?" The man chuckled when the blonde warrior of love and justice gasped and took a step back. "Oh yes, I know all about you and your friends young Usagi. Do not worry, I'm not an enemy from the Negaverse. Is that how you pronounce it Luna-chan? Negaverse?"

"Yes Gaki, that's correct." Luna spoke stiffly, turning around slowly realizing all to well that the only people she could see on the street weren't school children or salary men. The leather jackets in the hot august weather made that obvious. "Though I have to disagree with you claiming not to be an enemy."

"Oh, but I'm not her's, Lovely Luna. I'm YOUR enemy, unless she decides to use that lovely little nick knack she thinks he palmed without me noticing. Then she'll get to find out rather sailor fuku's can stop bullets." The Gaki's tone of voice and posture didn't change from the conversational, almost pleasant tone.

Usagi, the friendly, outgoing, kind girl growled and did something that none of her past enemies or the other Scouts would ever have expected. She risked it.

"Moon Crystal Power!"

The next moment the sharp impact into her back answered for once and for all rather her fuku was bullet proof. She didn't even realize they were standing next to a resivour until she found herself falling into it.

"Usagi!" Luna yelled, moving to dive after her charge, but a different sharp pain found her neck, and the world went dark as the tranquilizer kicked in. The man who fired it quickly running up. "Bring her." Gaki ordered, as he wheeled back to the van.

Artemis just stared at the scene before him, strangely detached even though his mind told him he HAD to be central to the events taking place. He just couldn't figure out how!

Hibuki, the EMT's, and two swat men were standing with him, equally as stunned, as the fires went out around them, and the rubble collapsed around a dome of silver-gold light that was apparently protecting them.

A light matching the silver moon on the white haired man's forehead. The rubble had completely settled before anyone could speak. Of course it was one of the EMT's.

"Are you like, Sailor Moon or something?"

While horribly out of context to the events around them, the question did snap Artemis out of his trance. "What? NO!"  
"Then how did you do that?"  
"I don't know!"  
"It's a good thing he did." Hibuki muttered, looking at the devastation, of which none had touched a twenty-foot circle surrounding them, and the unconscious engineer they had been trying to save. "No matter how he did it. We're still alive. Now let's get out of here before a secondary explosion kills us."

Quickly they moved through the burning rubble, carrying the dyeing man as carefully as possible considering the situation. The cops coming into the wreckage were shocked to find anyone alive, but were more then happy to pull them out.

An hour later the KAPPA team officers were sitting in the conference room, debating their next course of action. "Damn it, we don't know were he's going to attack, so we need to go after him, not split up for some attack that might be a bluff anyhow!" Artemis yelled, banging the table with his fist.

"Wrong Artemis. You're to close to this, and the Gaki is not the type to bluff, not on this. That prank at the restaurant not withstanding, if he says he can do something, he can. To assume anything else is negligent!"

"Well I don't care what you think Hibuki. This guy is going down, and I'm putting him there!"

"How Artemis? Where is he, huh?" Hibuki was also standing, also yelling now. "Even if you knew, I couldn't trust you to go, not now. Go home Artemis. Now."

Artemis's jaw snapped close in shock. "What… You ask me to leave when…"

"Did that really sound like a request? If I see you near ANY of the KAPPA teams till this gets settled or I say you can come back, your gone. Do you get me!"

"Yeah. I get you. Thanks, buddy." Artemis growled, a roar leaking through his human teeth shocking even the informed members of the team. He jerked open the door, just in time for the injured and wet Sailor Moon to fall into his arms.

"Luna, he got Luna!" She groaned, clutching her side, still shocked that it wasn't bleeding but she'd been in enough fights to know what a broken rib felt like. Her's felt more like it was shattered.

"Usagi!" Ami didn't even think to cover up her identity, running over to help her friend. Hibuki let her sit down before questioning her.

"Who has Luna. What happened to you?"

"Some guy, the Gaki I think he called himself. He kidnapped Luna I think. One of his guys shot me and I fell into the river, so I don't know for sure. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Artemis, can you get her… Artemis?"

By the time he looked up, the longhaired man was gone.

His badge driven by its pin's into the door.

Authors Notes: I bet you guys thought I wouldn't post again for like, months. Well HAHA. I did! And I even shot Usagi. (I'm sure there's a few Usagi haters out there who were cheering for a few paragraphs. A few lovers of the Bunny who plotted my death too.)


	17. Venturing Pheonix

Disclaimer: If for some reason you think I own Sailor Moon, or frankly ANY Anime or Manga series, get over yourself. Oh, and for the lawyers out there, I ain't making any money, so don't bother suing.

Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry

"Damn it! Where is he?" Captain Ichiro Hibuki yelled, throwing his cell phone out the window of the squad car he was riding in, his frustration having taken hold. The sound of plastic shattering on the concrete made the driver wince as he pulled away from the red light.

Hiroshi Shimaka sighed. "Artemis is where ever he thinks he needs to be. You know him, we both know him. He's insanely in love with Luna and this pushed him over the top."

"Hiroshi, you have as much reason to hate the Gaki as Artemis does, but you're still acting like a professional."

"And he's not. I know." Shimaka shook his head. "He wasn't a professional when you hired him boss. He's very good at what he has done for us, but he's NOT a cop."

"I know…" Hibuki slumped back in the seat. "On to more important matters. Are our teams in place?"

"Yeah, and lucky for us the Gaki has a blind spot in his plans. I can't believe he didn't notice a homeless family held up in the warehouse across the street!"

"Excuse me? I'm more amazed at his little bit of Alliteration."

"Yeah, painting up his trucks with marking for an 'Artemis Moon Moving' was just beautiful."

Hibuki nodded. "Cat boy's going to LOVE that when he recovers from the beating I'm going to give him. Are our teams in place?"

"All nine trucks that have been found by the street cops, and I dispatched our teams out while you were trying to track down our missing cat and taking care of our 'lunar intern'. We're coming up on the closest one now."

"With an hour to go till the deadline. Good. I just can't help but feel like we're being set up somehow."

"I think your being paranoid boss. How could he be setting us up? He has no idea we're coming! And look, there's the truck."

Hibuki looked over, the truck being three blocks away from where the disguised police van had been positioned, not three blocks from the Nerima Ward Hospital.

It came into view just in time for a huge metallic form to rip its way out of the large cargo box towed behind the cab.

"Paranoia, eh." Hibuki muttered as the ten foot tall mecha began to march towards the hospital.

"What do you MEAN the Self Defense force is spread to thin? We're getting anialated here!" Sgt. Maya Shin yelled into her radio, before firing two more impotent shots at the vaguely humanoid monster. Even having gone in expecting something like mecha or robots, no one on KAPPA had expected THIS. "We're outside of a damn elementary school!"

* * *

She'd already lost half of her men, including the one charged with caring the one LAW they'd borrowed from the JSDF just in case the robots were better then anticipated. It had damaged one of the monster's arms, but not enough to cripple it.

"Reika, I want you to get the van out of here!" She yelled, turning to look at the van where he'd left the mafia princess. She froze in horror when she saw the girl not only out of the van, but in the playground of the school, closer to the mecha then she herself was, next to the big Godzilla shaped jungle gym. "REIKA, GET OUT OF THEIR!" She yelled, her horror growing as the mecha seemed to take notice of the girl and turn towards her, rearing back with one pile driver arm as if to smash the girl.

That's when she stepped back from the chalk drawing she'd been making, and Godzilla rose up and roared… before digging it's now razor sharp teeth into the giant robot's shoulder. Reika ran away from the dueling behemoths and to the dumbstruck police sergeant. "There, I told you I could be helpful!"

"Yeah…" The female officer muttered as the fake radioactive dinosaur ripped off the previously damaged arm of the mecha. "But, um… is setting ANY Godzilla loose in Tokyo a good idea?"

"Well…. This is Juban. Who'd notice?"

* * *

Shin Sarado laughed like a maniac as he ripped the vault door off, and tossed it aside. "Okay guys, get in there and get that Yen. I'll keep the cops busy till it's time to leave!" the terrorist turned bank robber yelled over his war machines speakers, turning to walk back out into the street, shoulders knocking more of the buildings roof into the lobby of the bank. Sure the Gaki wanted maximum destruction, but a bit of good, mercenary looting is not really AGAINST the orders, now was it?

"MOON TIARA ACTION!" The voice, high pitched and not as loud as his own speakers, still managed to carry an authority and anger. It also preceded a hit that felt like artillery to the side of his mech, setting off alarms across his board. A fireball and massive electrical discharge followed the glowing disc into his robot, shredding its armor and destroying its power plant, toppling the terror weapon like a marionette with cut strings.

Shin popped the hatch and climbed out, to find a pair of high red boots waiting for him. Following them up he found the girl he'd shot on Gaki's orders looking down at him with an emotion none of the teenage super hero's enemies had ever really seen before.

Undisguised rage.

"Mars, Jupiter, go get his friends in the bank. I have a little catching up to do here." She said semi-sweetly, terrifying the terrorist who realized the disk that had damaged his robot was still glowing in her hand. He tried to pull his pistol, but she lashed out and cut it in half with the disk. "Now, now, that didn't work the first time." Sailor Moon chided…then she blinked realizing his position, and where his eyes could easily look.

"You… You're looking up my skirt! You Pervert!"

The explosion caused the rest of the bank to collapse, and a certain red suited sailor for love and justice to scream "DAMN IT MEATBALL HEAD!"

* * *

Artemis paid the cab driver, and then climbed out of the Taxi. The Radio was full of the attacks, and the reported response by both KAPPA and the Sailor Senshi and even in his current mood he had to chuckle at the reports of Shimaka and Hibuki taking one out on their own through the destructive expedient of ramming it into the oxygen storage tanks behind the hospital it was attacking, and the resulting explosion. A costly but effective plan, and far better then the machine actually getting to the hospital proper.

Artemis shook off his amusement, and embraced his rage once again, turning away from the taxi as it drove away, and turning towards the large dark shape that was so familiar from several months of nightmares.

It'd taken him a bit of time and research, but he'd discovered that the Tokyo Technical institute had bought everything a month after the fight, and a maritime engineering class had actually RAISED the hulk. The first time he hadn't even noticed the ships name.

For the second time Artemis stepped onto the gangplank leading to the deck of the decommissioned freighter "Venturer", shifting to his Neko-jin form and growling as the Gaki's voice came over speakers hidden somewhere.

"I'm so glad you could make it Artemis. I'm right where you left me!"

AN: I know, I know, I need to up date more rapidly. I suck. Well, here's a chapter for you folks! I Swear I'm going to try to do better. Course I've said that before. Blame Genma Saotome!

Oh, and as for you folks who thought Nerima meant a Ranma Crossover, Nerima actually IS a ward of Tokyo from what I've been able to find out. That's not to say super powered martial artists are or isn't running around there, but they didn't show up for that robot.


	18. A Faitful Beginings End

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. The Gaki is kind of my creation. Thus why me and Artemis argue a lot.

Moon Cats, Fearful Symmetry.

The beginning of the End.

Aretmis prowled through the bowls of the rust ridden ship slowly, watching for traps or ambush at every corner and every new deck plate. He was not just a cat tonight, but a tiger and he hunted.

_"Come now Artemis my good friend. You don't want to keep me and the lovely Luna waiting!"_ The Gaki's arrogant voice poured through the speakers that he passed several times on his way to the cargo hold. The voice caused the Neko-jin to seethe, but also served as a reminder.

He might be a tiger, but he was hunting a monster.

_"You know, she thought you'd have to good sense not to come, or at least bring friends. I hadn't the heart to tell her that I'd arranged for those friends to have entertainments so that you'd have to come alone. And I KNEW you wouldn't wait."_

Artemis came to one of the heavy doors that lead to the cargo hold of the _Venturer _and with no hesitation delivered a powerful kick to the rusted steel portal. His powerful legs, infused with both the magic and the power of his rage and shape easily sent the door spinning into the room, bouncing it off the opposite wall a hundred feet away.

"My, my Artemis. Aren't we just a bit temperamental?" The Gaki's voice drew a growl from the moon cat as he stepped through the door. He froze almost immediately.

"Oh, of course, you haven't met my assistant." The Gaki, now sitting in a powered wheelchair, gestured to the young man holding a shotgun to a bound, human form Luna's head. The black haired woman was obviously incapable of any movement, even her tail was tied to the leg of the chair she sat on, but her eyes locked with Artemis's and were filled with fear in spite of her self. "Artemis, you should have waited. Brought help."

"Now Luna, he's the hero. Hero's don't wait for back up." Gaki wheeled slowly into the middle of the cargo hold, his eyes never leaving Artemis. "What do you think; I spared no effort to completely return the feel of our last battle. Please, look around, I must admit to taking some pride in it all."

Artemis did look around, mostly to try to find some way out of the situation he found himself in. He quickly lost track of those thoughts when he recognized the several dozen barrels stacked up in one corner, each and every one marked "Ether".

"I even provided the materials for an explosive conclusion!" The Gaki almost crowed. "What do you think?"

"You're a psycho."

The crippled assassin raised an eyebrow. "You think so? You know, you might be right." He shrugged. "No matter. I just wanted a rematch as close to the first fight as possible. I just figured I'd add rescuing the girl to the mix."

Artemis scoffed. "Like I could really fight you with that guy standing there. I start getting the upper hand and you what? Tell him to shoot her? Coward."

"No reason to call names Artemis." The Gaki growled, pushing a button on his chair. Artemis and Luna both gasped as the metal of the chair shifted and moved, sealing the Gaki in a suit of armor. The wheels all expelled as the assassin stood. "I wanted a real fight between equals, my old friend." The last word came out as an insult, or a curse. "And that's what we'll have. I just wanted to grantee you'd take it seriously. So first!"

He pushed another button, now on his arm, and a previously unnoticed plasma screen started displaying time, three minutes ticking down by the second. "When that hits zero, the c-4 I sealed inside those ether containers will detonate, taking us with them. As for my compatriot…"

The Gaki pointed, and an explosive sound proceeded the blossoming of blood across the startled mans chest. Gaki dropped the pistol he'd been holding. "That was easily taken care of. Now, shall we?"

Artemis easily shook of his horror at the psycho's action. "Let's!"

They moved together in a snarl of steel and rage.

Luna could only look on in horror. The mecha-suit the Gaki wore had claws snap out of the forearms, giving him a massive reach, and weapon, advantage on the now shorter neko-jin. She watched the initial swipes with a scream only to gasp in relief as Artemis managed to hop over the blades, and indeed the assassins head, at the last second. He landed deftly, half way across the cargo bay, but no closer to Luna.

"Got yourself a new toy, did you Gaki? I can't say I'm impressed, since CAPPA and the Senshi is taking out the rest of them with ease."

"Well of course they are Artemis." Unlike the snarls from the white Mao's mouth, the Gaki's tone was almost conversational. "Their piloted by the greediest and most incompetent idiots I could find. I wanted a distraction, not total destruction. That I'll reserve for myself, when you are dead!" The Gaki jerked his left arm forward and across suddenly, and a spinning blade, attacked by a thin wire, flew off the suits wrist, and flew towards the surprised cat twenty feet away. Artemis dodged, but the blade still nicked him in the shoulder.

The cat refused to surrender the offensive completely however. He grabbed a heavy pipe, probably left from the work to raise the ship, and brought it down on the cable leading to the Gaki's suit. The blade and its tether wrapped around the steel pipe allowing Artemis to pull savagely on Gaki's arm.

The armored man cried out as he flew forward and right into the waiting white fist of the angry moon cat. Steel crumpled and the Gaki flew back the way he came.

Artemis wasn't left unscathed, and clutched his now broken hand to his chest. The assassin laughed as he pulled off the helmet of his armor, unharmed other then a slight cut from rended metal. "I'm wearing armor, cat. Hitting with bear knuckles is not the best idea."

"So I noticed."

* * *

Luna turned her attention away from the fight and to her bonds. She couldn't shift, the most obvious answer, thanks to the collar the Gaki had "Gifted" her with. Its elastic band was connected to two sensors and if the size of her neck changed more then what simple movement would explain those three minutes would turn to three seconds. "Just enough time," The Gaki said "to realize our fate, pretty Luna."

Fortunately for her she had chosen to listen to Usagi, a practice she generally didn't follow. The girl had taken her, in human form, to her friend Naru's family business, a small jewelry store, and convinced her to buy a small charm bracelet. The bracelet, which Luna had sworn was silly and unsubtle, had the symbols for all nine principle planets of the solar system hanging from it, along with the crescent moon, and had been called the "Senshi Special" by the cheerful redhead across the counter. It was the moon that she was once again most interested in.

The light metal link holding it to the bracelet was easy to break, and the tips of the charm were very sharp. Luna knew from experience, she'd managed to break one the first day she'd owned it, and the moon had been a pain in her wrist on several occasions. A comment she enjoyed making to Usagi every time the bubbly teen insisted she wear it. That was it's very saving grace.

Breaking it free, she dug the point of the moon into the bonds holding her wrists. The rope was strong, but of a type that Luna knew would fray easily from its own ends and she used it to her advantage, quickly freeing her wrists. She almost moved them in front of herself without thinking when the scream of tortured steel drew her eyes back to the fight.

Aretmis had somehow managed to break off one of the Gaki's set of claws with a heavy chain, but had paid for it by receiving his own punch to the face. The blood flowed freely from his nose, staining his white fur, but the neko-jin warrior either didn't notice or didn't care, he jumped at his opponent with a snarl like a tiger.

"Note to self, never mention to Artemis that that sounded sexy." Luna muttered softly to herself, as she moved her hands down to her ankles, having confirmed that both men were far to busy to notice her.

She tried to ignore the clock which was already down to one and a half minutes to detonation.

* * *

Artemis whipped the blood from his eyes, glaring down at the snarling Gaki from his perch on several hundred gallons of Ether. "What, afraid to get close?"

The Gaki, standing well back from the explosive pile, just saluted. "A crippled body doesn't equate to a crippled mind, cat-boy."

"Of course not." Artemis dove off the pile, grabbing one barrel in the jump and throwing it at the Gaki ahead of him. The assassin dove forward, just as Artemis had guessed from the suits movements up to then, right in a prime position for the white tiger-man to pounce onto his back, driving a fist into the Gaki's face. They both toppled to the floor as Artemis delivered a second, then a third blow to his enemy. "That's for Luna, that's for Usagi, that's for Shimka…." He reared back and unsheathed his own claws. "And this you worthless bastard is VERY MUCH FOR ME!"

"Thanks, you can keep it." Gaki snarled, and triggered the surprise he'd saved just for this occurrence. Thousands of volts poured through the suit and into Artemis, causing him to shudder, and then drop to the ground next to the Gaki.

The Assassin laughed, and stood... lifting a foot above the barely conscious cat mans neck. "It was fun Artemis, but I have a date with your girlfriend." He laughed and started to bring his foot down.

An ear shattering explosion followed by excruciating pain caused him to stumble forward at the last moment and miss.

He turned at the sound of a shot gun being ratcheted, gasping for breath. He found Luna returning the shotgun to her shoulder. "I really have to thank Captain Hibuki for insisting I take those lessons at the range." Was all the black haired woman said, before pulling the trigger again.

Artemis slowly rose back to his knees, staring down at the bleeding body of the Gaki. He turned and looked at Luna, smiling in spite of the pain. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"No, I think that's about a thousand and one. We have a minute, so FINISH RESCUING THE MAIDEN ALREADY!"

"No problem." He chuckled, rising and grabbing her waist. Then the Gaki laughed again.

"Sorry hero…" He spit out, along with blood. "No one gets out of here alive. Not even you." He laughed his last breath, as his hand closed in a very distinctive way.

Artemis saw the screen switch from forty eight seconds to three in horror. Then he pulled Luna tight. Luna screamed.

Then the world filled with flame.

* * *

"Are you sure their here?" Sailor Moon demanded, just as the police car she and Mercury were riding in pulled up to the dock of the ship Venturer.

"Yes. It's the only place." Hibuki said, slamming the brakes and jerking open his door, the two senshi and Shimika doing the same as they dove out of the car. Their plan was to help Artemis with the Gaki.

They made it three steps before the middle of the ship erupted into flame for the second time in as many years.

"Oh my god! LUNA! ARTEMIS" Usagi Tsukino screamed. Horror filling her face. Those with her watched in equal horror as the ship sunk beneath the waves.

Strangely, she was the only one without tears in her eyes. She thought to herself how odd that maturity, what Luna always harped about, only seemed to get there when her mentor was gone.

That's why she was the only one to see the silver and gold orb bob to the surface of the waves, and the first to see what it contained as it popped, and her advisor and Artemis fell to the waves, Artemis out cold and Luna crying for help.

"LUNA!" She cried again, diving into the water to help her pull the larger cat person to shore.

AN: Now be honest, did any of you think Luna would be satisfied just being rescued? She's the mentor for a bunch of teenaged GIRL super hero's for crying out loud! Oh, but for an added bonus…..

Moon cats, Fearful Symmetry

Epilogue

Artemis looked up as the door to the holding cells opened. Ever since regaining consciousness and Mamoru's statement of "he's okay" he'd been locked in the otherwise unused cells in CAPPA HQ's basement. This to Hibuki's statement of "I'll deal with you later."

The man himself had finally come to visit, glaring through the old fashioned, criss-crossed bars of mild steel at his feline 'friend'.

"Not that I'm sure it matters to you Artemis, but we've managed to decommission all of the Gaki's mecha. A few people were injured, some badly, but no one died. We were lucky, and I could have used you out there, instead of acting like an idiot."

"What did you expect me to do? Luna was in danger, and you weren't going to help her!" Artemis yelled, standing up and stepping to the bars with a growl.

Hibuki struck the bars, right in front of Artemis's face, with the palm of his hand, startling the now white haired man into stepping back. "Did you really think I'd abandon one of my people?" Hibuki snarled. "We all knew the risks coming in to this organization. You, me and Luna. She knew she might have to wait, but you just couldn't."

Hibuki began to pace, or prowl back and forth. Artemis thought idly that he looked more like the caged cat in this situation. "Tell me Artemis, what if I had needed another body out there. What if I, or Shimaka, or god help us Usagi was hurt because there wasn't a heroic 'Neko-jin' out there to save her. We KNEW the Gaki would wait for you, he was obvious in how he had set this up that was what he wanted. We could have gone in as a team. We've run rescue scenarios how many times?"

He didn't give Artemis the time to answer. "You could have gotten people, yourself and Luna killed, with your little stunt. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Artemis sputtered. He tried to think of justifications, of defenses… but he couldn't. He slumped "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Tell me kitty cat, you learn ANYTHING from this? You planning to do this again?"

"Yes! I mean No!" Artemis growled and tugged at his long hair. "Yes I learned something. I was an idiot alright! Of course I'm not going to do this again! It's a miracle we survived this time!"

"Good, he can be taught!" Hibuki growled, unlocking the door with a key. "Go home. I don't want to look at you." The man said, and then walked out of view, and out the door.

Artemis sighed and pushed the cell door open. He reached the holding room door before looking up, and took a step back.

His badge was driven into the wood, like he had done in Hibuki's office with a note.

"_Be in at Nine AM. You're doing the paperwork for this mess."_ Signed Captain Ichiro Hibuki.

"Yes sir." Artemis whispered.

* * *

The Gaki gasped, and took a moment to marvel that he was able to gasp.

"Welcome back Mr. Gaki." The cold voice of a younger man inspired the assassin to open his eyes and focus them on the speaker. "My name is Akuma Hagisaki. I and my employer are who you have to thank for your survival.

The Gaki tried to speak, but discovered he couldn't. "I'm sorry, but I am forced to inform you that one of the balls from the shot gun blast ripped through your upper spinal column. You have no voluntary control over your body beyond your eyelids and eyes. However, we'd like to fix that." The other speaker came into view, another younger man, who seemed more amused the sympathetic by the assassin's condition. "Is that a yes I see in your eyes?"

"Of course it is Adrian. Stop tormenting the man."

"Of course Akuma. Well then, we shall. I should warn you, this is going to sting." He chuckled, holding up a vial. The Gaki managed to catch the label, Daemonite v55-3 test two, before the syringe left his field of vision. Then he felt a pinch, and it was like someone poured melted copper into his veins.

Two hours later he regained the use of his voice, and began to scream.


End file.
